Limerence
by DemonicPiano
Summary: RECONSTRUCTED! Twin brothers Alfred and Matthew discover angels and demons actually exist, and their mundane, high school lives are suddenly changed. For better or worse is something they must determine, and they have to hide their secrets from their loving father while they deal with whatever angst teenagers typically deal with alongside these 'otherworldly' problems.
1. Prologue

_Author's Note- It's about time I start following some constructive criticisms. If you read some or all of this story before, I redid the whole thing. Like, holy crap, dialogue/relationship overhaul, deleted/added scenes, tweaked the ending a bit, the whole jazz. It's still the same story and plotline, though. So, if it sucked before, it should suck less now._

 _If you never read this story before, forget everything I just said. Remember, this is a work of fiction, so the views/beliefs are NOT meant to attack or degrade religion or anything you hold dear. On a final note, I'm coming out as RusCan trash, so...yeah._

* * *

Prologue

* * *

There was somebody leaping from rooftop to rooftop in the small town, so late at night, too. That night, the moon was full, but its weak light was not really needed with the humanoid glow carrying on across the suburbs. Many scents, but little sound permeated the warm air, spoiling the surprise of the heated bodies of humans tucked inside their homes, believing they were safe underneath blankets. They were oblivious to the angelic being gliding over their own rooftops with light steps, and would not dare to imagine of a hulking figure tangled within the darkness, lurching in the same direction.

The trail the angel left behind was sweet. _Too sweet,_ it burned the creature's nose; the monster, the demon. No other was able to carry on the endless struggle between good and evil, black and white. Yet they both know that it is truly made of various grays. The demon considered himself to be gray, as he followed the trail of his game over the houses of unconscious humans. The angel that he could not help but be curious about was also gray, not so much pure and white, despite the heavenly creatures preaching to be such.

The demon skittered onto a steep rooftop, and the rough shingles pricked his palms. His strong, thick tail lashed back and forth for balance as he struggled to pinpoint the scent. It grew erratic, zigzagging across yards and houses in no particular pattern. Perhaps the angel was searching for something. He felt jubilant at the thought of seeing one of Heaven's beings hunt, which was considered risky and improbable where he emerged from.

He stiffened when a loud flapping sound grew closer. Before he could turn around, a glowing body slammed into him. With a gasp, he was knocked off of his perch and plunged to the grassy ground below. His great weight snapped a cloth line that had clothes dangling off of it, but he managed to land on his hands and toes.

Whatever struck the demon, tumbled onto the grass in front of him. Sitting up, he gave the rope a small, curious tug, before ripping free and tossing it aside. The weight flew into him once more, and the hellish creature caught a glimpse of pale legs leaping over his head to land on his back. The body pressing his to the ground was much more daintier than he was, yet surprisingly strong. The demon sneezed as grass blades tickled his face.

"Hello, little angel! Nice night, yes?"

The angel snarled, "Why are you following me?"

"Skipping right to the interrogation?" The demon chortled, then snorted when the hand on one of his horns pressed down harder. "Who said I was following you?"

"Your stench betrayed you."

The demon suddenly leaped up, causing the angel to gasp and kick off his back. He whipped around to see a flash of light disappear over the rooftops. With a powerful flap of his own wings, he sailed over the closest house, and announced with a bright smile, "I think you are confused!"

The angel stood on the furthest edge of the roof, glaring in his direction with a fierce scowl. "Says the worm that has no business on the surface. How about you go back to torturing the souls of the damned?"

"That is very harsh of you! I always wondered what it was like to play with an angel!" A rough laugh ripped from the demon's throat as he pounced at the heavenly being. The angel jumped to one side, off of the roof and back on it again, behind the demon, and delivered a harsh kick to his rear end. As soon as his leg connected with the fiend's behind, he yelped and shoved away from the dense creature.

"Is that the best Heaven has to offer?" The demon twisted around to swipe at the air, and the angel weaved between his swinging arms. "You are like one of those little glow bugs flying around!" A crazed smile puffed out his cheeks as another furious giggle escaped between his teeth. "Buzzing around, ducking out of the way, and just about to be squashed!"

Avoiding a large and clawed hand from grabbing his wings, the angel leaped back, taking flight from the roof and gliding into the next yard. He grunted in urgency to flee when he heard the demon cackle in childish delight, and jump off to give chase. The heavenly creature folded his wings to slip between thick branches of a large tree. The possibility of being impaled by one of the sharp twigs was a gamble he was willing to take to end the primal chase. Clumsily scrambling to perch on a strong limb, he faced the demon, who hovered before the branches poking out in all directions, and felt the prickles of triumph running up the base of his feathers as a vague expression of uncertainty washed over the fiend's features.

The angel let out a snarky huff, "Are you done yet? If you do not mind, I have things I must do."

Without an answer, the demon dropped to the ground.

"What are you up to?"

The hellish creature leaped to grab the lowest branch. The angel exclaimed in mild fear, scrambling away from the quickly advancing demon. Twigs snapped as the branches violently danced from the two beings scurrying around the winding limbs, as if angry from the disturbance. Jagged edges from broken sticks threatened the large appendages sprouting from both of their backs, although the thick feathers covering the angel's wings prohibited any harm from coming onto them. Their faces, however, and any exposed skin were swiped and cut from not only from each other, but the protruding stakes as well.

The demon thoughtlessly swiped the back of his hand over a nasty cut on his cheek, too worried about bunching on a branch that bent under his weight, and jerked after the angel balancing own his own branch just an arm's antagonizing length in front of him. His leap abruptly stopped as a broken tree limb caught onto the elastic skin of his own wing. He thrashed from the stabbing sensation, and his glee-filled laughter choked off to noises of building horror.

With a look of disgust, the angel ducked underneath his predicament and dropped to the ground. He spun around and scaled a wooden fence separating the huddled houses to observe his pursuer stuck in the tree while a safe distance away. Blood oozed from the cuts on both their faces and limbs, but the demon's wing was snagged on the sharp twig, appearing painful, whether he deserved it or not.

In an attempt to escape his problem, the demon thrashed, yanking away, but only achieved in ripping the appendage further with a little yelp. Only when the branch finished tearing to the bottom of the wing, with a horrible cry of pain from its owner, he was free. He plunged, feebly covering his face with his arms as the branches put in their final attack as he fell and harshly hit the ground with a noisy thump.

For a moment, the demon did not move, and the angel fidgeted on the fence, suppressing the urge to investigate. The mess of shadows shuddered, picked up his head, and uneasily giggled past his aches. "It looks like these trees put up a better fight than either of us."

"The surface is no place for demons," the angel called out. "Why did you even crawl out of Hell?"

The demon lapped at the blood on his lip and lunged forward, trying to give chase as the heavenly being hovered so closely, but he landed face first in the grass from the searing pain holding down his body. The angel was still expecting an answer, so he lifted his head, and managed, "I was just trying to be friendly."

The other flabbergasted for a moment, "To be...what?! Well, whatever sort of game you are playing ends now." The angel sourly suggested, "Go back to Hell. If you are still around noon, or sun high, I will be certain to make it so that you cannot return. Starting with your wings. What is left of them, anyway." He twisted and glided into the night air, and the dark skies overtook his ethereal glow with distance.

The hellish creature wreathed and wiggled around to inspect the damage on his wing with little success, as any movement filled him with excruciating heat, more so than the fires from which he was raised around. He flopped onto his uninjured side behind the tree, and sighed with exhaustion. He came to terms with his poor decisions of wanting something else other than Hellfire in his life with his tail lashing back and forth, the only motion he could express his anger and failure without pain. The cool yet soft grass offered a trivial relief to the burn, and he allowed his eyes to flutter close. The angel was looking for something; perhaps he would return eventually.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The scent of decaying leaves stirred into the crisp morning air. The demon softly exhaled, coming out of his deep, pain induced sleep. Soft pitter-patters became louder, and his tail tip twitched in agitation. His wings quivered, an instinct to take off, but he flinched and hissed from the pain shooting into his shoulder blade. The noises suddenly stopped, so he relaxed into the grass again with a shudder from the fresh breeze.

The rustling noise picked up once more, growing dangerously close. The demon's eyes flew open, his pupils shrinking into slits from the bright morning light. He flinched, but leaped to his hands and knees in a quick motion, limbs trembling from the effort and lag from sleep. A stillness he was unfamiliar with overtook his blood as he stared at the disturbance before him.

Some voice from inside his head told him to immediately flee from the tiny human, yet the boy was so small, it was hard to believe he was any threat. The child's head tilted, soaking in the sight of the strange creature before him, and his fists nervously bunched up the patterned fabric of his nightgown. After a few moments of neither moving from their positions, the boy took a step closer, slowly raising a small hand toward the demon. The hellish creature flinched again, and scooted away. The child frowned and opened his mouth.

"Mister, you are hurt."

The demon blinked in surprise, clinging onto the soft sounds. Another breeze teased the golden curls on the boy's head, and he caught a whiff of a warm and hygienic scent. The child looked like it, too, but this was no time to hunt. At that moment, the demon abolished any crude rumors he picked up in his years; after all, most of them were based on old lore. Creatures of Hell considered a glimpse of the world above an improbable task because of any attempt of doing so was met with the fury of angels prancing on the surface, strongly evident in his torn wing. Therefore, they had to resort to imagination when it came to describing humans, and this one was certainly not cavorting around his land, causing messes and destruction in his steps.

Clearing his throat, the demon nervously smiled. "Is it obvious?" He asked, not missing the way the boy's lilac eyes widened and gawked at his sharp fangs. "Are these words you can understand?"

The child slowly nodded, and drew closer again, pointing. The demon had to force himself to not shrink back and press against the fence as if the wood could spare him the wrath that a tiny fist could do. "It tore."

"You should run along. Your mother would be worried..."

The boy looked down at his feet.

"Or father...older sibling?"

The small human glanced up with a gasp. "My papa has a thing to help you!"

The demon started to dissent, but the child spun around and ran back into the rear of the brightly painted house. _Yellow._ Such an odd and cheerful color. The hellish creature let out a panicked growl, looking around the yard to somewhere to hide in case the boy returned with a grown human. Adults seemed to have a silent agreement with the angels to coerce his kind to never show face in their pretty, yet cold land. The drama (somebody screaming at the mere sight of him) would certainly attract the attention of any nearby angels, and he was not willing to 'play with' another one anytime soon. The door slid open again, so he skittered on all fours into a nearby wooden shed, scaling over anything inside and knocking over a bicycle. He curled up in the corner, breath catching as small footsteps came closer.

The child stopped in front of the tree, and his arms were cradling something tall against his body. He threw his head side to side, looking around in confusion at the demon's sudden disappearance. "Where'd you go?" He turned to the shed, noticing the violet glints peering out from the shadows as the demon had forgotten to close the shed door in his haste. They flashed downward to the large bottle he clutched onto, and the young human hesitantly stepped toward the wooden shack. "I found you something."

After a moment of silence, "Bring it here."

The child stared at his feet again, fiddling with the bottle.

"You said it will help me, yes?"

Putting on a brave face, the boy neared the shed and stepped into it with a heavy lift over the single stair. His feet pattered toward the hunched figure, and he held out the bottle. "Sometimes, when my papa says he had a bad day, this will help him feel better."

The hellish creature uncertainly reached a clawed hand out, grasping the narrow neck of the bottle. The boy surrendered the glass container with a hopeful smile. The contents sloshed around as the demon began chuckling. "If this is what I think it is...then your father is a smart man."

The boy's pleased expression morphed into one of horror when the demon tore off the paper from the bottle and tipped the glass back. The liquid drained out of the container, and the strange visitor did not take a breath until the entire bottle was empty.

The demon took the now empty container from his face, smacking his lips in content. "It has been so long since my last drink..."

"Papa said people become stupid if they have too much!"

"More like not enough," the demon snickered. Obtaining anything from the surface was difficult and expensive if brave enough souls were willing to do it, for a price of course. The harsh throbbing in his wing already seemed lesser. At least the steady bleeding had stopped throughout his slumber, leaving behind a fragile line of dried blood running up halfway the height of the extra limb. Setting down the bottle, the hellish creature laughed again. "That would be true...if I were a person, but you already know that, do you?"

The boy kept fiddling with his gown. "I think everyone who can smile and feel pain are people."

"Really?" The demon choked up, swallowing the remnants of any alcohol. Perhaps he drank that too fast. "That is a very nice thing to say!"

The child giggled, which was a lovely sound. Tiny humans were the best thing the demon had encountered so far on the surface! A small, nearly irresistible thought offered to bring the child back to his home, away from the bright Sun, away from sharp trees, and away from cruel angels. The boy's voice broke his plots, "May I touch your horns?"

"Touch my horns?" The demon echoed, taken back. He smiled, covering his surprise. "Only you, okay?"

The boy drew closer, and his breath was shaky as his small hand groped the thick horns curling on the side of the demon's head. He lowered his arm to give the hellish creature's slightly curved nose a tug, and squeaked when the demon shook with laughter. He then gasped, his gaze latching onto the tail wagging back and forth.

The tiny human scrambled over the demon's tucked legs and grabbed for it, and exclaimed when the tail slithered away from his outstretched hands. He spun around and followed it. The hellish creature managed to make him spin in a circle as he tried to get a hold of the tail, but the boy eventually caught on and flopped to the ground, huffing in defeat. He drew his legs up to his chest, becoming even smaller. "Why were you in my yard?"

"I was sleeping."

"That's a funny place to sleep!"

The demon shrugged. "I was tired!"

The boy giggled again.

"Mattie! Mattie!"

The child's smile fell into one of fright, and he scrambled to his feet with a soft exclaim, "That's my brother!"

"Is that a good thing?" The demon asked, looking around the shed for anywhere better to hide without much success.

"Stay here!" The boy cracked open the door and slipped outside. The hellish creature flinched from the bright light and pressed sideways into the corner.

The newcomer's voice was slightly whiney, belonging to another child, "Mattie! What are you doing outside by yourself? You know Dad doesn't like that!"

"I was with a friend!"

"Don't tell me!" The newcomer groaned. "It was one of your imaginary buddies, again, wasn't it!"

"N-no! This one is real!"

"That's what you say about the others!"

"Hey!"

"Whatever, come inside! Dad's making pancakes!"

"Pancakes?" The boy's voice raised in excitement. "Wait, I have to say goodbye."

A loud, dramatic sigh. "If you let your breakfast get cold, I'm going to eat it!"

A set of footsteps pattered away. A moment of silence passed before the boy opened up the shed door. "Um, Mister, I have to go now."

"So soon?" The demon smiled sadly. The child pouted and nodded. "Very well. I would not want your...pancakes to get cold."

The boy hesitated. "Will I see you again?"

"Would you want to?"

A nod, and the demon smiled broadly. He looked around the dark shed, and said, "I may be able to do that." How exciting, an invitation to return to the surface! "To make it easy, I could leave a way of contact. Do you have anything I could use to draw?"

The boy pointed to the other wall. Various paint buckets and tools sat in the opposite corner, and the demon reached for one. He scrutinized the container before using a flat claw to peel off the metal lid, and poked at the liquid experimentally.

The child stepped away when several light blue splatters fell onto the wooden floor. He watched this visitor drag his fingers across the nearest wall with a concentrated expression. "What'cha doing?"

With a sideways glance, the hellish creature began, "Whenever something or someone troubles you, whenever life is a little overwhelming, whenever you are lonely, just call on me, and I will be sure to pay you a visit." He placed a large hand on the boy's back, who stared at the circle with wide eyes. The boy looked up at him in confusion from the weird scratches within the lines. "Just think of it as payment for your kindness. I know vodka can be hard to come by."

All he had to do now was make it back to Hell with a tore wing without flying into another angel, or any humans that were ready to scream their heads off. However, the demon felt much better about the ordeal, and had something to look forward to when he made it back home.

* * *

 _A.N.- I am going to have Bloopers at the end of some chapters, because I can._

"Who said I was following you?"

"Your stench betrayed you."

The demon lifted his elbow up and took a whiff of his arm pit. "Eugh."


	2. Chapter 1

Matthew knew the approaching and heavy footsteps meant he was going to be forced out of bed soon. He held the blankets closer, believing for a moment that he could merge into his mattress and back into his short lived rest. The door busted open, bounced off the wall, and he inwardly sighed, knowing the loud noises could belong to only one person.

"Mattie! Mattie!"

The blankets were ripped from his body, including the warmth they held. Matthew lazily flailed his hand in the direction they were pulled to. "Stop, five minutes."

"You said that five minutes ago! You're gonna be late for school!"

Matthew was not phased, nuzzling his cheek into his pillow, and dealt without his covers. A dramatic sigh sounded from behind him, and the blankets fell onto his folded body. Footsteps faded away, so he smiled and took hold of the sheets without opening his eyes.

He was about to drift off again when his brother returned. Suddenly, the waist line of his pajama pants were pulled from his lower back, and he immediately reacted when ice cubes slid down his legs. With an exclamation of shock, Matthew leaped off his bed, kicking and dancing until all the cubes fell out the bottom of his pants.

His brother threw back his head and laughed, so Matthew swooped down to chuck an ice cube at him. The other blond squeaked and flinched, but was still snickering. "Come on, Mattie, if Dad finds out we got another tardy, he's going to dump a whole tray of ice cubes down your boxers!"

"Great," Matthew sighed, bending down to rub the cold spots on his legs. "Like you just didn't do that."

"Cheer up, Mattie!" His brother cackled. "It's Friday!"

"I know that, Alfred, but there's still one day left until the weekend."

Used to the horrors of Matthew in the morning, Alfred spun around and sauntered out of the room without acknowledging his brother's grumpiness. "By the way, we're out of milk..."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"For this assignment, you are going to be working with a partner."

Matthew had been deceived; the last year of high school was supposed to be the best one. At that time, it was almost the end of the second semester, but he often found himself bored out of his mind for the most part, and also quietly brewing in irriation at waking up before the sun rises to do pointless assignments and listen to hundreds of other students yapping their heads off about the latest gossip. Sure, it was a bit aggressive for him to let these thoughts run rampant in his head as he bent over his desk, but nobody else made it a habit to talk to him, or if they did, he was mistaken for his more socially-demanding brother, so they were none the wiser of his internal turmoil.

However, it was usually on the weekdays he felt unusually bitter. The week could have been simplified to getting woken up, go to school, go to work on some days, then cram in homework before passing out, and doing it all over again. Matthew always thought of any up coming weekends and mini-vacations that he could escape into his room, or at least outside into fresh air!

His first period classmates exchanged grins that were too bright and mischeivious for the time of the morning, more excited than he was at the prospect to fool around during a class period for once. A sheet of paper fluttered underneath Matthew's head, which was bent toward his clammy desk that waited to catch his face. He slowly straightened with a light, embarrassed grunt to look at the foreboding words. Matthew scrunched his eyebrows together. There was no need for partners for this paper. He grabbed a pencil from his book bag that leaned against his butt-numbing chair, and began scribbling his name at the top of it. A hand rapped on the desk and he looked up in surprise.

The teacher was frowning at him. "With partners, Mr. Bonnefoy, or a group of three if there are no others."

"Of course," he weakly replied, but the teacher was already making her way back to her desk. The teen glanced around the dim lit room, at his classmates bunching together with their friends. A heavy weight sank in his stomach, knowing that he would just do his work on his own as the other teenagers blabbered, and then they would copy off his sheet. Was it wrong to want something more than these mundane expectations?

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Not the entire day was in vain, however. Matthew sat across from his brother at lunch, which was the time he was finally awake enough to take on the day and eat. Despite being brothers, and twins to that fact, they did not share many classes together besides lunch and an afternoon class. Lunch was actually one of Matthew's favorite times in his school day, since it was just the two of them relaxing by the wall of windows overlooking the back parking lot- equally bland and uneventful as far as the building went.

Lunch was a well appreciated break, even though Matthew made the tough choice of to eat or not to eat; his stomach was grumbling pretty noisily then, but he was not sure it would be worth eating the school's unsavory lunches. Their father had raised them on gourmet cooking, but Alfred was more eager to stuff himself with whatever he could find.

He was another reason Matthew liked that period. At times, his brother would be loud and obnoxious, but that was a sibling's job. His jokes, funny motions and smile would brighten any overcast day. It was a gift to be eternally optimistic and somehow dazzling in his hyper way; something that the older twin wished he had the guts to be like. On the other hand, he did find comfort in adding his unneeded encouragement to Alfred's robust stories, and watch his brother tip entire sides of tater tots into his mouth.

"You gonna eat that?" Alfred asked, not specifying what exactly on his brother's lunch tray he had eyes for.

Matthew pushed his nearly untouched platter across the table, and Alfred proceeded to engulf anything on that, too. It was an interesting phenomenon. "You okay, bro?" Bits of something that passed as a cheeseburger landed on the table. "You seem sad."

"Oh, do I? Sorry," slipped out. Guiding a pile of napkins in his direction, Matthew shook his head. "It's the same thing, different day, Alfred."

His brother smiled, broadcasting what was in his mouth. "That's school for you!"

Matthew pulled himself from his slouch to announce, "I'm thinking of joining the field hockey team this upcoming semester."

Alfred choked a bit, and hit his chest with a fist. He asked before he could even breathe, "What? Why?"

"I have been thinking about it for a while," Matthew shrugged. "Hockey is...cool, and besides, it is good to participate in after school activities. Sometimes."

"Don't you have a job at the library, too?"

"It's a bookstore, and not until six. I would have an hour between the two."

"Mattie!" His brother groaned. "I'm gonna be all alone at the house!"

"Why don't you invite your buddies over?" As soon as the suggestion was out of his mouth, Matthew inwardly regretted it. The last time his brother's friends came over to 'do homework,' they stayed up until one o'clock the next morning, draining anything worth eating/drinking from the fridge and scattering all kinds of wrappers all over the house. He wound up finding a squished cupcake in the couch cushions several days later.

Alfred brightened for a moment, before going back to chew on his burger. "You know how Dad is about having people over when he's away. He'll like, walk in the house, and know we had people over. It's kinda weird."

"Okay...Why don't you find a job?" Matthew suggested. "I think the quick market is hiring."

"Ugh, as a cashier though?" Alfred snorted, then choked a bit on his cud, "What good am I going to do at a mini-mart?"

"You can help people buy food, Al. We need milk, too, so you can look for a position while you pick up a gallon."

"Sure, man. Whatever you say."

Matthew's eyes flickered up at the darkening skies pass the wall of windows that kept all the raucous students from fresh air. "Don't forget your umbrella."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Tryouts for the new semester were canceled due to the impending weather, so as soon as the dismissing bell rang, and once free from the prongs of teenagers ambling toward the exits, Matthew streaked down the town's sidewalks with his bookbag over his head. It proved pointless, however, since the clouds released all their might onto their small town, and he was soaked to the bone by the time he reached the front porch of his house.

After a thorough drying, Matthew checked his phone in small hopes of being called off from working that night, but no messages from his coworkers or brother popped up. He still had an hour to kill before work started, so instead of doing homework, he snuggled with a blanket on the living room couch, and flicked on the television.

Nothing of interest showed up, until the screen flashed over the soap opera playing. Words zoomed across the TV and the news reporters spoke a bit too fast and over one another, but Matthew caught that there was a flood warning in effect. There have been several motor accidents, and cameramen showed people busting out their canoes just to cross the street. Everyone was warned to stay inside if possible.

"I hope Al gets home soon," Matthew murmured aloud before burying his face into the blanket from his earlier chill. His cell phone suddenly buzzed, startling him, and he scrambled for it.

 _'On my way home will be ther in 5 :p'_

Matthew had hoped to read that, a sloppy message from his brother, but instead the alert was his job telling him that he did not have to come in that night. He sighed, somewhat in relief, but somewhat irked, too. He plopped back on the couch, and said to the ceiling, "I am just a worry-wart, aren't I?"

The house phone rung, disproving his words. Matthew jumped from the loud sounds, and shoved away from the couch for it. "Okay, okay, I'm coming!"

The phone switched to voicemail as soon as he grabbed it. "Hello? Hello!"

After the "leave your message after the beep" ordeal, the sullen voice of a bored woman droned from the other line, "Is this the Bonnefoy household?"

Matthew inwardly groaned, and muted the television. Only solicitors or the rare occurrence of his father's old lovers checking in used the house number. "Yes, it is."

"Is there a Francis I could speak to?"

The teen felt his face scrunch in mild annoyance. "He is overseas at the moment."

"Is this his son, Matthew Bonnefoy?"

Matthew tried to keep his voice soft and polite, "Yes, but if this is a telemarketer, we are not interested-"

"I am sorry, Matthew. This is Saint's Medical Center. We have your brother Alfred in our care, but we need someone to stop by and confirm-"

Matthew was running out into the rain before the lady could finish.

* * *

 _A.N.-_ Bloops!

(1) Alfred spun around and sauntered out of his brother's room. "By the way, we're out of milk..."

Matthew threw his head back and screamed in lost. He caught his brother saying down the hall, "What the fuck?"

(2) Matthew wound up finding a squished cupcake in the couch cushions several days later. "God dang it, Oliver!"

Someone passed by the window, blowing a raspberry at the boy. "Wankers gonna wank!"

(3) Matthew was running out into the rain before the lady could finish. Once she realized he was no longer on the other line, she said, "Wow. Rude."


	3. Urg these chapter titles are one off

_There was a gas leak at the corner market and it exploded while Alfred was inside._ Matthew gritted his teeth as he nearly slammed into the medical center's glass doors. An older woman entering at that moment gave him a shocked look. If that were true, there would be no body, and the catastrophe would be on the news.

 _Alfred jumped off that stone bridge on the other end of town, and broke more than his legs._ Matthew dodged some nurses scurrying by the front desk and strode up to the lady engrossed in her typing. "Ahem, ma'am?"

 _Tack, tack, tack._

"Um, miss, I was called here..."

Matthew tried to wave to get her attention, but wound up knocking down a little dancing flower figurine. That managed to make her look up. Snatching the fallen figure as if he greatly offended her, the receptionist asked, "May I help you?"

"I heard there is an Alfred Bonnefoy admitted. I was called in from my house to-"

"Yeah. I mean, yes." The woman delicately set the plastic flower back on her desk and attacked her keyboard. She gave him the room number. "Your brother is in a stable enough condition for family members to visit."

Immediately setting off, Matthew whisked by a pair of doctors exiting the elevator he slipped into. "The front of the car is completely totaled. It's a miracle..."

The doors closed, and he was slightly jostled from the sudden movements. _Alfred was involved in a pile up on the free way!_ That one was truly ridiculous; the small town did not have large roads. A lot of the townies simply walked between the suburbs and shops.

Matthew broke into a run, unable to act calm and walk like a normal person once free from the lift. His head swung side to side, glimpsing at the room numbers. He nearly ran into a man pushing a yellow cart of cleaning supplies.

The grisly janitor chuckled, "Whoa there, speed demon!"

"Sorry!" Matthew spat, not sounding sorry as he weaved to the side, and continued down the hallway. He sucked in his breath, sneakers skittering on the ugly carpet when he caught sight of the correct room number. His fists clenched and unclenched, fingers dancing as he got his breathing under control again.

Pushing the pale door open, Matthew saw an unoccupied cot, which sort of diminished the rising panic. A nurse peeked behind the curtain separating the two beds and asked in a garbled accent, "Matthew Bonnefoy?"

"Yeah, that's me," Matthew replied softly, but his fingers continued to dance in a nervous song against his sides.

A voice croaked from the other side of the curtain, "Mattie?"

"You go see brother now," the nurse said, scribbling something on the clipboard she held, and breezed out of the room.

Matthew inhaled deeply, and slowly stepped around the curtain. He paused at the foot of the bed, gaping in confusion. He expected his brother to be clad in full body bandages; bloody wraps, broken legs hanging in stirrups, and/or thick casts prohibiting any itches to be relieved. Instead, Alfred was sitting upright in the bed with only a patch on his forehead and sharp blue eyes behind his glasses that looked worse off than he did.

"Heya, Mattie! How are ya?"

"Al?" Matthew squeaked embarrassingly.

Alfred tipped his head. "Yeah?"

"You're all right!"

A bright smile flashed across Alfred's face. "Of course, man! You can't take down a hero that easily!"

Matthew lunged over the bed to give him an overbearing embrace. His brother hissed and patted his back. "Whoa, take it easy! The quacks said a couple of my ribs are cracked. And yuck, you're all wet."

"Yeah, it's still pouring outside." Matthew slipped away to settle on the edge of the cot. He ran a hand through his damp, wavy hair to cover his giddiness. "You said you were all right."

"Yeah," Alfred shrugged, only to falter and put a hand to his side. "I could be in worse shape. I didn't get banged up too bad."

Matthew blurted, "I should have been with you."

Alfred blinked, taken back for a moment before chuckling uneasily, "Mattie, I'm actually glad you weren't. You're blinder than I am! Who knows what would have happened and where we would have ended up!"

"What? Hey," Matthew scowled. "So much for worrying." He shook his head as his brother grabbed at his side from laughing. "What happened anyway?"

"Oh, what'd you hear?"

"I asked you first."

Alfred playfully countered, "I asked you second."

Matthew huffed, turning away to stare out the window. The skies were still gray, darkening as night approached, but a soft glow lingered from over the roof despite it all. "I was watching the news, and there was a flood warning. Then the hospital called, and asked for Dad, but I told them he was overseas."

"He's been overseas for weeks now," Alfred snorted, and prodded his side experimentally. "Everyone knows that."

"Apparently not the hospital," Matthew said. "Anyway, they asked if I was his son, and I said I was, and then they told me that you were here..."

"Yeah? And?"

Matthew shrugged. "I just ran outside."

"Aw," Alfred put a hand to his chest, "was my baby brother so worried, he risked getting a cold for me?"

"I'm older than you, Al," Matthew reminded him, "and I thought you were in a terrible accident."

"Yeah, I was."

"What happened?!"

"Right! So, um, I was walking down the street to get some milk like you told me to..."

"And to see if you could get a job at the market."

"Aw, man! I forgot! I guess it's a good thing I never even got there!"

"Al!"

"Kidding, Mattie! I'm kidding! Don't look at me like that!"

"Yeah," Matthew dropped his best effort at scowling. "What happened next?"

After a moment of recollecting himself, Alfred continued, "I was just trying to get across the street, and there was this terrible, and I mean absolutely terrible, horrible, awful screeching noise. I turn around and..."

"And?" Matthew urged.

His brother lowered his arms from gesturing dramatically. "Um..."

"Al? What happened then? You turned around?"

Alfred went back to absentmindedly prodding his side, and his voice plunged to a wary whisper, "I don't know if I should say it. You're not going to believe me."

"Believe you?" Matthew shook his head, never gullible when it came to his brother's tales. "Al, it's _you_ we're talking about. I never believe you. I mean, I don't believe your stories."

Alfred's voice jumped back up again, "Bro! I'm being serious!"

"You mean...actually serious...right now?"

"Yes, right now!"

Matthew's grin immediately fell at his brother's strained expression, odd without his goofy smile. "Well, crap. Tell me anyway."

"Ugh, fine. So, you know how it was raining really bad just a few minutes ago?" Alfred gestured to his glasses. "I couldn't see a foot in front of my face, so I was listening to the cars passing by, and hoping for the best."

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh my God."

"I know, man. I swore there was still a red light when I went across that crazy intersection by the pharmacy, but like I said, I couldn't really see, so everybody else in the cars probably couldn't either."

"And then one of them came at you?"

"Yeah!" Alfred shot the arm belonging on the uninjured side of his body in front of him to renact the scene. "I saw headlights go all crazy and spin out right when I was halfway across the road! Dude," he grabbed his brother's jacket sleeve, just in case he did not have his full attention, "there was _another_ light coming at me. Mind you, this is all happening in like, a split second, and I thought I was going to die right then and there."

"But you didn't..."

"No! That other light, I thought it was a different car, but someone slammed into me, and I was back by the sidewalk again!"

Matthew did a double take. "I'm sorry, did you say some _one_?"

"Yeah! See! I told you that you wouldn't believe me!"

"Don't stop now!"

"Well, that car that was all like, 'Ragh!' sped out of control right pass me like," Alfred shot his hand across from himself, not forgetting the sound effects. "It totally missed me! Whatever or whoever pushed me out of the way _really really_ pushed me, and I landed on the curb, and there was so much pain...I swore one of my ribs was poking me in the lung."

Matthew's mouth popped open in horror, but his brother wagged a hand at him, "Just wait. You know how in movies somebody always pushes someone out of the way of a car, and then they get ran over instead?"

"Th-they got ran over?"

"No! When I say someone slammed into me, I mean they really slammed into me, _and_ didn't get hit. I have no idea where this guy even came from, but he was over me telling me not to move! It's not like I was going to anyway. I was lying there like, 'Fuck, my ribs!'"

"Well, yeah, I would think so-"

"Okay, now you're _really_ not going to believe me."

Matthew dully stared at his brother.

For once, Alfred took the hint with a big sigh. "All right, but you better not call the looney bin on me."

"Try me."

"He touched me, dude!"

"Wait, all creepy-like?!"

"No, not creepy-like! I felt someone touch my side, but it didn't hurt! It actually started to feel better!"

"Wow, I admit I'm having a tough time believing you. Are you sure you're serious?"

Alfred craned his head back and obnoxiously groaned, "Mattie!"

"All right, all right! You are serious," Matthew muttered, mostly to persuade himself of that fact. "So this...random guy pushed you out of the road, and what, healed your wounds like some kind of video game medic?"

"Yeah! Sort of like that! It was probably all the adrenaline, you know? I don't think it was some random dude, either. I swear I heard his voice before..."

"Really? Was it one of Dad's...old friends?"

"No, no...at least I don't think so." Alfred looked quite alien with a tough look of puzzlement on his face. He gave his head a shake and swished his hands. "I'm saying too much when I don't know enough. I know that I'm here at the hospital now, and not ran over." He perked up with a little wince. "What's up with you? Don't you work tonight?"

Matthew was a bit more reluctant to let the topic slip away. "But you...agh, never mind. Look outside. Do you think anyone is going to work in this weather?"

"If your boss is not cool, then yeah, I guess so."

Matthew thought of his boss for a quick moment; an older Spanish guy, a grin and personality as bright as the sun and insane enough to want to run a bookstore in that Hellhole of a town. He smiled from fond memories of whenever he rarely popped up in the shop. "Well then, I say it is a good thing that my boss is cool."


	4. Generic Chapter Title Here

Not even a couple of days later, Alfred was released from the hospital, though the doctors told him to 'take it easy.' He translated this to 'do not go to school for a few days.' With the bookstore closed that night, Matthew decided to catch up on cleaning while his brother was on the verge of throwing his gaming controller at the living room's television screen.

"Booyah!" Alfred threw his hands up, but immediately doubled over and grabbed his side. "Fuck, that hurts. I totally won that round."

Matthew dragged the vacuum cleaner from the hallway, and gave his brother a worried look. "Al, you should not move so abruptly."

"I'm fine, bro! All healed!"

"You are not."

"Almost healed."

"Already? Al, do you know how long it takes for broken bones to heal?"

"Couple of weeks. I pay attention in school!"

"Yeah, it hasn't even been a couple of weeks!"

"Dude," Alfred waved his gaming controller in the air, "you're going to have to accept that you have a totally awesome brother that can heal fast."

"Miraculously fast?" Matthew muttered, mostly to himself.

Alfred started up a new round, and glanced at Matthew kneeling down to plug in the vacuum. "Wait, whoa! You're not going to do that now, are you?"

Matthew glanced over his shoulder. "It's the only thing left to do, then I'll be done."

"Can't you do that some other time?"

Rising to his feet, Matthew crossed his arms. "Can't you play video games some other time?"

"No."

"Yes."

Alfred put on a terrible pout. "Mattie, please? Not now?

"That doesn't work on me."

"Please, Mattie!" His brother repeated, and slumped to the side, clutching onto his waist. "I'm so sick, my ribs hurt! Ack, ack!"

Trying his best not to laugh even the slightest bit, Matthew stepped away from the vacuum. "Fine, I was going to go outside for a bit, but when I come back, I'm going to have to do it. You know how Papa likes us to keep the place clean."

Alfred was suddenly healthy and happily tuned to his game again. "Yeah, yeah! Uh, five minutes!"

Matthew made sure to slam the rear door so his brother knew that he was not getting his own way, and automatically clutched his hoodie closer to himself from the frosty chill in the air. He took a generous inhale so the cold could hit his nose pleasantly, and wound up wandering in a small circle for a few moments before stopping to look around the narrow yard for something to do instead of letting his mind run wild. A few bare shrubs decorated one side of the fence, and on the other side of the yard, a looming tree stood as tall as the house. His head tipped slightly as his attention jumped to the rustic shed that peeked from the furthest wall of the building, and his feet carried him through the crunchy grass to the wooden door.

"I bet there's crazy stuff from our childhood in here. Or all of Dad's tools. Probably tools," Matthew babbled aloud, and peeled the door from its rusted latch. The hinges creaked in horror at the disturbance after being left untouched for many years. He gasped, "Our old bike!" and knelt before the rusty children's bicycle to run a finger across the dust coating the seat. "So, that's what happened to it!"

A few nuts and bolts were jabbing into his knees, so he gave them a hard tug when they proved to be stuck to the paint splattered floor. He tossed them onto the grass to remind himself to throw them away, along with the paint cans that were stacked nearby and infested with rust, most likely too old to be useful. He turned around, and his gaze followed a trail of faded spots to the other side of the shed.

"What are we really going to do with the bike though?" Matthew did not really want to throw it out, too fond of the memories associated with his father pushing him and Alfred in turn around the town. He stood up to give the shed one last sweep, and clunked his head on the crossbars that supported the roof.

Matthew hunched down again, mildly cussing and rubbing the top of his head. His eyes flickered up at the wall he was facing, and he stiffened. The weak rays of sunlight that filtered in the cramped space illuminated a faded outline of a crudely-drawn and upside down star within a circle. "What the Hell is that?" He squinted at the odd scrawls surrounding the paint smears, but he could make out a name that was scratched into the wood.

His hand rose, fingers trembling as they traced over the old drawing, and pale crumbs of paint sprinkled the floor. "V-Van-ja? Oh, Vanya," he whispered aloud. His fingertips pressed against the marks, feeling the rough chips of wood underneath. "Vanya?"

A fierce gust of wind smacked the tiny shed, and the door creaked before slamming shut. Matthew let out an unmanly scream as he was suddenly plunged into darkness, and he threw himself at the door. It swung open easily. He fell forward, his foot catching onto the paint cans, and came crashing down.

Matthew picked up his head from the cold grass, and quickly threw a glance over his shoulder, seeing nothing but the wooden shack. He pushed himself up to his knees, tucking his honey-colored hair behind his ears and breathlessly laughed a bit from his reaction.

"At least nobody saw that."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Several days later, toward the end of the week, the teen was ambushed by a hoard of other teenagers as he went to dump out his half full lunch tray. He fixed his eyes on the ground, tensing up as the bodies grew closer. "Excuse me," he tried to slip away, but they got in the way even more. If he were honest with himself, Matthew would say he never saw any of the people hoarding around him, hooting and hollering at the same time. At him, none the less!

"Hey! Why weren't you at second period today?"

"I think you have the wrong brother," Matthew tried to explain, but a squeaky girl barreled into him from behind and began yammering at his ear before he even turned around.

"Um, where is Alfred? He has my assignment to copy, but I need that for physics class."

Matthew began, "Alfred is not here today."

"You said that yesterday, too."

"Yeah, where's our man Al at? He's been out all week!"

Matthew tensed when more bodies grew closer. "Seriously? All of you only start bothering me when my brother is not available?"

"Where is that Alfred at? He owes me money!"

"He's at home...no, he's fine..." Matthew dug at his head, trying to distinguish some questions. "He may be back within a week, since it's not so bad. You can ask him when he comes back. No, I do not leave the water running when I brush my teeth. All right, that's enough," he lunged forward, using his taller stature to push by the crowd.

Not used to a hoard of teenagers cavorting around him, and not wanting to dote on his brother after he annoyed him from Hell and back for several days, Matthew was desperate to get out of the worse of the pit before he was never seen again. Some kids still lingered, tailing after him, tapping his shoulders, but they hung back once he managed to escape the stuffy lunch room.

Matthew wiped his forehead and exhaled sharply, smiling a bit at his freedom. He quickly headed off to the school library, a stark contrast to the rowdy lunchroom. He felt a lingering warmth on the back of his neck, and clamped his palm over it, but did not dare to glance over his shoulder. He did not need the eyes of that hoard staring at him in severe distaste to bother and burn in his mind all day.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

That evening, Alfred visited his brother at work. What was more stranger than Alfred seeing how Matthew was doing at his job, was Alfred recreationally visiting a bookstore. Matthew did not realize his brother entered the small shop at first, since he was wedged between two shelves replacing books, until a loud cackle reverberated across the wooden floor boards.

Matthew's stomach dropped to his feet as he stiffly turned around and marched to the front of the store as if the noise was his summon. His brother was propped against the checkout counter, obtrusively waving his arm, most likely over exaggerating something that happened last week to Matthew's snappy coworker, Lovino.

"There had to be at least ten cars in that pile, and when I say a pile, I mean," Alfred lifted his arms above his head, "it was a pile!"

"Why are you telling me this?"

Matthew called out, "Al, what are you doing here?"

"There I sat, watching the whole thing, unscathed."

 _Liar,_ he dastardly thought. "Alfred!"

"Huh?" Alfred jumped, looking at his brother with wide eyes. His momentarily confused expression morphed into an overbearing smile. "Heya, Mattie! What's up? What'cha doing?"

Matthew gave him a blank look. "Working?"

"Right! So, um, I was wondering if I could pull you out of work early."

"Why? What happened? What did you do-"

"Chill out, Mattie!" Alfred put his hands up. "I just got to show you something!"

"Show me something? Can't you show me now so I can get back to work?"

Lovino glared at Matthew, or he simply looked at him. Sometimes, Matthew could not tell.

Alfred figeted. "That's the thing. That _something-something_ I have to show you is at the house."

"Let me get this straight." Matthew sighed, and gave his glasses a sharp push back up his nose, "You want to pull me out of work, to go home so I could look at something, and have to go back to work to complete the rest of my shift?"

"Just go," Lovino huffed, eying his fingernails. "We aren't getting any business tonight."

"Great!" Alfred perked up. "It's settled! Get your apron off, Mattie! I'll wait outside!"

"Do I really want to?" Matthew asked aloud, mostly to himself. With a haste goodbye to his coworker after slipping off his ugly colored attire, he breezed outside into the cold air.

Alfred was waiting just outside the front windows, bouncing with his arms tightly crossed from the cold. He latched onto his brother's jacket sleeve, and urged him on as if Matthew did not know where to go. He whispered excitedly, "Come on, come on! Dude, it's going to be great. Just you wait!"

"Why are you whispering like that? With the way you are acting, it makes me think you brought a polar bear into the house."

"I don't wanna ruin it!"

Matthew did not know if it was the biting breeze that stiffened his legs, or the dread of his brother's surprise, but he lagged behind Alfred, who practically floated all the way across town. The stores turned into apartments, and then into suburban houses as they traveled. Eventually, they reached the beginning of the final driveway, only to see a black cloud of smoke escaping from the ground floor of their home.

* * *

 _Blehps_ :

Matthew dragged the vacuum cleaner from the hallway, giving his brother a worried look. "Al, you should not move so abruptly."

"I'm fine, bro!" Alfred started up a new round, glancing at Matthew kneeling down to plug in the vacuum. "Wait, whoa! You're not going to do that now, are you?"

"Bitch, I might be."


	5. Chapter 4

"Shit!"

Alfred's reaction was appropriate. He streaked across the front lawn, up the porch, and slammed into the door as he clawed at the door knob. An awful screeching from the smoke alarms erupted once he managed to slug it open, while Matthew hung on the sidewalk, gaping at the dark cloud emitting from one of the kitchen windows. There were no flames, but the smoke was horrendous and he did not want to go near it.

His brother moved around the smoke pouring out of the kitchen to throw open the other downstairs windows. He coughed, swishing his arm in front of his face as he stuck his body out of one. "Come on, Mattie! The smell is not so bad once you get used to it!"

"What is this?!" Matthew demanded, but Alfred retracted back into the mess without hearing his question. He shook his head, and with an irritated glance over his shoulder to the neighbor's houses, he stomped after his brother. He did not bother shutting the front door, since he was chewing the smoke and needed to be close to a source of fresh air. Alfred emerged from the doorway between the main hall and kitchen, smiling instead of panicking like he should have done.

"Is this your surprise?" Matthew spat, "Burning down the house?!"

"It's just a little bit of smoke, Mattie!"

" _A little bit?"_

"Yeah, look!" Alfred held his hand out. "It's going away already!"

There was a loud clatter from the kitchen, and both boys jumped. Alfred warned, "Hey, stay here, will you? I'll be back." He slunk into the kitchen, where the majority of the black horror was congregated. Through his coughing, he exclaimed, "I knew if I took my eyes off of you for a second, you'd burn down my kitchen!"

Matthew swatted at the nearest smoke detector, and asked, "Al, who are you-"

A stranger's voice vehemently dissented, "Do not just stand there and patronize me! Turn this damned thing off!"

"See these little dials? There, you just flick them off until this little light goes away. It's kind of a new stove, and uh...next time, if you need something, all you got to do is just ask! Seriously!"

"Al," Matthew tried again. He wanted to snoop around, but did not want to confront the looming smoke that was taking its sweet time to leave.

"Mattie!" Alfred called from the kitchen, and his voice became closer. "You got to meet somebody!" His tone slightly dropped as he spoke to the stranger coming through the kitchen, "And you got to meet my bro!"

At first glance, the lighter blond was much less intimidating than his voice portrayed him to be, but when Matthew looked him in the face, or more like his eyebrows, he quickly glanced to his brother for reassurance.

Alfred gestured to his lesser company with a proud grin. "Mattie, this is my new friend."

The way he punctuated it, it seemed like Matthew was supposed to know who this guy was. With a slight upward tilt of his chin, the stranger held his hand out. "You must be Matthew. I am Arthur Kirkland."

Matthew uncertainly grasped his hand, and the stranger's fingers were cold and slender to the touch. He quickly let go, resisting the urge to wipe his palm on his jeans. After trying to avoid gawking at the accents perching above this Arthur's green eyes, he stammered out, "Uh, yeah, that's me. Hi. I hope Al didn't talk about me too much."

"Bro," Alfred let out a light cackle, "Come on, you know me! Now, let's go check out what Artie made for supper."

As his brother and the strange man turned for the kitchen, Matthew grimaced at their backs. He did not know if he was supposed to ignore or point out the glaring fact that this new friend of Alfred's had a subtle yet steady glow around himself. The smoke was definitely clearing out of the house by then, which punctuated the soft light present in their kitchen. He dropped his gaze to the wooden floor and crept after them, trying to recount how much sleep he had gotten in the past few days.

It had to be obvious that Alfred did not see it, because he would have certainly blurted out something about it, or mentioned that hey, his new friend kind of glows, and not to freak out about it. "Oh, is this what you made? It's..."

Matthew nearly choked when he neared the stove where his brother was using a spoon to prod at whatever was in the pot. The black goop was still bubbling inside and on the surface of the counter surrounding it. His mouth dried up at the sight. His hair was going to smell of smoke for a week, even with showers in between.

"Al?"

"Yeah, Mattie?"

"What is that?"

"I don't know..." Alfred admitted. He shrugged and reached for a cabinet to pull out bowls. "But I'm gonna eat it!"

Matthew stepped away from his brother scooping up a ladle full of the mess and plopping it into his dish. "This is a bit too heroic, even for you..."

Arthur popped up from behind him, and tightly smiled at the heaping plop, proud of what he had done. "Are you eating, lad? I made enough for an army."

Matthew lied, "I ate before I went to work."

Arthur let off a stiff nod before taking his own bowl full of dark gunk, and fluidly settled beside Alfred, which was Matthew's usual seat. Matthew sought comfort in opening the refrigerator and gazing inside for a moment. He heard the strange man ponder aloud, "I wonder why it is called chili? In the end, it comes out rather hot."

A burst of laughter shot out of Alfred, and he slapped a hand over his mouth, although that did not do anything but make him laugh more. "Ha-ha, yeah, that is weird!" He eagerly shoveled in his first spoon full, only to roughly gulp and smack his lips in confusion. "Arthur, I thought you said this was chili."

Suddenly bristling, his new friend exclaimed, "It _is_ chili!"

"Is that...dude, are these _lima beans_ in here?"

"The recipe said green beans, did it not?"

"Not this kind of green bean! Why would you put green beans in chili anyway?!"

Arthur shoved his utensil into his 'chili' to cross his arms with a snort. "If you do not like it so much, why are you inhaling it like there is no tomorrow? Idiot."

"'cause I'm hungry, dude!"

Matthew did not find anything worthy in the fridge at the moment, and he really wanted to get away from the commotion. "Um...I'm going to be up in my room, doing homework if you need me." The other two occupants did not acknowledge him, too engrossed in their bickering. He grumbled with a lazy wave as he passed the island counter, "Nice to meet you, I guess."

He was full of lies that night.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew was not kidding about having to do homework, but he certainly did not bother with pulling his book bag from under his bed, where he kicked it that afternoon. The book he chose to indulge in as a substitute for his studies slipped from his loose grip and tumbled to the floor. He was already dozing over his blankets, still clad in his day clothes, before he had a chance to mark his page.

However, he was not worried about forgetting his spot, especially when his body broke out in a rush of goose bumps from the icy draft permeating his bedroom. His head nuzzled the pillow beneath him. "Hm, Al, did you forget to turn the heat back on?"

It sounded like someone softly gasped from above, but that was ridiculous because that would mean someone was in his room. Matthew's eyes snapped open when something nicked the siding of the house from outside, and he leaped from his mattress. His glasses had slipped to the side of his face, and as he hurried to the window facing the back yard, he nearly jabbed one of his eyes from shoving them back into place. The curtains that usually draped over the lone window danced with the bone chilling draft, and he was not the one that opened it in the middle of winter.

The hairs on his arms still stood rigid as he glared into night, but he saw nothing different in the back yard. Matthew retracted into his bedroom and quickly pulled the window close with more force than necessary. Clamping a hand over the chill brushing the back of his neck, he spun around and scanned the dim lit room, suspicious of the shadows that were present every night. He turned around again to click the locks on top of the window, and gave the plastic a tug upwards to make sure it was locked.

Matthew was not sure what to make of what just happened, but his breathing was loud while the room was quiet, so he slowly closed his eyes and let his shoulders slouch. Something then dragged against the roof before a loud whoosh grazed the night sky. This, of course, made him leap from the glass, legs locking, and he tumbled to the floor. Some odd, panicked and unusual sounds came from him as he scrambled away from the window to the other side of his bedroom, where the opposite wall should protect him from freaky noises at night.

"Someone's creeping!" Matthew demanded at nothing. His eyes darted side to side, but saw nothing else that would raise alarm. "Chill out," he murmured to himself. "Although I think I have had enough with the chilling."

Muffled footsteps bounced off the walls, and his bedroom door swung open. Alfred jumped in the room and looked around with panicked eyes. "Mattie! Mattie?" His brother's legs danced as he started to nibble on his fingernails. "Oh no, I think the ghosts really got him this time!"

"I'm down here, Alfred."

"Eek!" Alfred twitched, clamping his hands over his mouth. He looked down and knelt next to his brother. "What's up? More like, what's down?" He took his hands away from his face to laugh at his own joke and offered one to his brother. "No, seriously, why are you laying on the ground right next to your door? It's a bit creepy, dude!"

"I..." Matthew shook his head, not wanting to sound like a madman, claiming his window opened on its own. He grabbed Alfred's outstretched palm, and rose to his feet. "It's nothing. Is that guy still here?"

"Oh, Artie's still around. You should see him discover the joys of Chinese auctions! Hey! Did I ever tell you he can speak Chinese? Isn't that great? I think he can speak Japanese, too!"

"Uh-huh, that's great, Al," Matthew trudged after his bed, and roughly sat down, making the springs squeak. He rubbed his arms, and gave one last glance of suspicion to his window.

His brother dejectedly kicked at his bedroom carpet. "You don't like him, do you?"

"I just met him."

"Yeah...he's like a little ball of grumpiness, but there's probably so much more to him. It'd be lame if there wasn't, right? Ha-ha!"

"Al," Matthew could easily imagine treading on shards of glass with how warily he spoke, "When you say he's your new friend, does that mean he's _that_ guy? The one from your near-accident?" _The one that made your broken bones feel better with a supposedly non-creepy touch? Al said it may have been the adrenaline..._

In a very mischievous tone, Alfred tittered, "Yeah." If he clasped his hands together, and kicked a leg behind himself, the image would be complete. "I honestly didn't think we'd see each other again, but he actually...uh, came to me when I was...out and about, and then...yeah! We're pals now!"

"Very descriptive," Matthew granted. "I don't want to keep this on my chest forever, and you've said crazier things within the pass couple of weeks, so I'm just going to go out and say it. I hope you don't mind."

Alfred tipped his head with a blank smile. "What is it?"

Matthew took a bracing inhale, trying to come up with a coherent statement. "I don't know if you noticed, but he sort of...um...has this glow to him?"

The other brother must have not caught what he was trying to hint at. "Uh huh?"

"Not like a beautiful radiant glow. I mean, I don't think he's unattractive, but it's just that...it looks like...he's doing this..." Matthew vaguely gestured to his face, which only made Alfred look more lost in amusement. "He's literally glowing, Alfred. Maybe I'm seeing things, but I swear, I see a freaking light all around him."

"Whoa! You can see it, too?"

"Uh, yeah! What, you're not freaking out or anything-"

"Alfred!" A sharp voice came from downstairs. "Is everything all right up there?"

The boys gawked at one another for a quick moment before Alfred called back, "Y-yeah!"

"Well then, are you going to get down here or do I have to watch this show myself?"

"Ugh, coming!"

Matthew went to grab his brother's sleeve, "Wait, Al!"

"We'll talk about this later."

"But-"

"Later, Mattie!"

* * *

 _Blehps:_

(1) With a slight upward tilt of his chin, the stranger held his hand out. "You must be Matthew. I am Arthur Kirkland."

Matthew uncertainly grasped his hand, the stranger's fingers cold and slender to the touch. "I'm Matt...hew..." he could not tear his gaze from the caterpillars posing as eyebrows above the greenest eyes he ever seen.

 _Dear God, those are the biggest eyebrows I've seen in my entire life. He can pluck those babies and use them for dusting, or wiping the snow off his car's windshield._

Arthur asked, "What is wrong with your brother?"

"Oh, he's just spacing," Alfred said. "He does that sometimes."

(2) "Al?"

"Yeah, Mattie?"

"What is that?"

"I don't know..." Alfred admitted. He shrugged and reached for a cabinet, pulling out bowl. "But I'm gonna eat it! Because that's what heroes do!"

Once he popped a spoonful of the 'chili' into his mouth however, he wheezed, "I think I am going to retire."


	6. Chapter 5

"Mattie! Mattie!"

Matthew's bedroom door nearly busted from its frame, and his eyes snapped open. He was just about to scramble out of the way, but the approaching footsteps were too quick while he was too groggy to dodge when his brother flopped himself onto his bed and tugged his pillows and pajama shirt in all different directions.

"Mattie! Yo, dude!"

"What, what, what?!" Matthew flipped over to face his brother.

A smile slowly spread across Alfred's face, and he waited a few moments before saying, "School starts in ten minutes."

Alfred was promptly shoved off the bed.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Hussle, Mattie, hussle!" Alfred's arms were bent, moving in a robotic fashion as he nearly jogged down the sidewalk.

"Ugh! Can't...move...that fast...too early..." Matthew groaned, his sneakers dragging against the cement as he feebly chased after his brother. "Just woke up...five minutes...ago..."

Alfred sang, "Someone needs an alarm clock!"

"Stop singing. Someone needs to acknowledge that his brother is not a morning person."

"Mornings aren't awful! Just waking up is!"

Matthew resisted the urge to tell his brother to shut up, but decided to be nice and suffer silently.

Alfred's voice drooped to a nervous giggle, "Oh, um, Artie is going be joining us. He should be dropping by any moment now."

Matthew stopped in his lagging tracks. "Wait, what? Why does he need to walk us to school?"

Alfred glanced over his shoulder, and spun around, dancing back to his brother. "He's not walking us to school. He's going _with_ us to school! Meaning, he's going into the school with us and learn and suffer-"

"Isn't he a little too old for high school?"

Alfred rubbed the back of his neck, weakly laughing. "They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Mattie."

"What's that mean? He is actually our age? Because he looks over twenty."

"Well...um, some people look very young for their age. It's sort of the opposite. Not that he looks really old. Just...mature? Oh!" Alfred began walking backwards so he could still chat with his brother and get to school, "You're okay with him sitting at our lunch table, right? I mean, there's only us, and that's kinda lame."

"Yeah, lame," Matthew furrowed his eyebrows. Despite it being the biggest thing in his mind, neither of them mentioned the odd glow that shrouded the strange man. They tried to talk about it, but then, perfect timing, Arthur called up the stairs to beckon Alfred to watch television. He watched Alfred's foot scratch across the ground and catch on a wide crack, wondering just what the Hell is going on with ethereal glows and freaky noises at night.

Alfred broke him from his thoughts with a giddy whisper, "Mattie, that's Artie over there!" Then he belted out loud enough to wake the town, "Hey, dude! Over here!"

Matthew's nose curled from his brother's voice, and he stepped to the side so he could get a look at the man approaching them. Arthur's resting face did not look open, and if he were honest with himself, it made him a tad uneasy. His posture was elegant and straight as he glided toward the boys, portraying a seemingly perserved gentlemen, but there was still that cursed glowing! Matthew could not completely get his mind off of it. For the longest time, his days were the same; straightfoward and relatively uneventful. Now that something of _this_ sort happens, was he supposed to act like nothing mildly exciting or different was unfolding?

 _Hey! This guy is glowing! Do you all see it?!_ It sounded stupid in his head, so he would not dare to put it in words. Matthew kept his mouth shut, and decided to put it on his 'Never Mention Ever' list.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

A stampede of teenagers flooded into the main hall from all sides, and Matthew was quickly separated from his brother, not that Alfred and his new friend made sure he was not lagging behind. He tensed as the bodies pranced around him, uncertain if he was just simply taller than them, or they were underclassmen. The latter would explain why they had so much energy before the sun was fully in the sky.

"Al?" Matthew peered over their heads. He caught a glimpse of his brother's cowlick bobbing in and out of the flood, but it was nothing noticible next to his friend's faint glow. The constant flow of students threatened to push him forward, so Matthew used his larger body to cut though the traffic and press against a wall of lockers. He hesitated against an ugly colored metal door, casting glances in the direction Arthur disappeared to as he took the ebbing light with him. Apparently the surrounding kids did not notice as their many feet scuffled down the corridor.

"Why us?" Matthew blurted under his breath. "I haven't done anything, but Alfred..." How he yearned for some spice in his life, like a new puppy, or his father suddenly swinging by for an occassional visit, but walking light bulbs?! He had no idea what this was or what it meant! He frowned, scooting down the wall of lockers toward his own, against the flow, which proved momentarily disastrous.

Someone bumped into him as if he were not there, and Matthew stumbled from the great push. The binder he held slipped from his hands and splattered to the floor as he collided into another body from behind. His jaw clenched as he stared down at the mess for a moment, very tempted to just stomp out of the school. He bent down to snatch his scattered papers before they could get too damaged by relentless feet. "Man, this sucks."

A large hand reached out for the sheet that Matthew went to take, and he automatically stiffened, snapping his head up to meet a stranger's pale face. He grabbed the other papers before his new company could touch them, and uncertainly mumbled, "Um, thanks."

The man hunched over in front of him squinted his violet eyes as if he was trying to see through Matthew. The teen raised his eyebrows, and slowly grasped the paper in his hand, able to easily take it back. With a shy smile from no reply, he repeated, "Yeah, thanks."

"You..."

"W-what?" Matthew inwardly cursed at how stupid he sounded.

The man's twisted smile fell as he squeezed his eyes shut, appearing very constipated, yet his tone was bubbly and light, "I was looking for someone, but here you are in place of him."

"Huh?" Matthew grunted like a barbarian. He stood up from the many legs shoving pass him before he could fall over and be trampled upon. "I'm sorry?"

The stranger rose as well, and Matthew took a small, uncontrolled step back from his stature. "Why do you apologize? I do not think you took him away, but instead...he grew into you? It does not make sense, though. So quickly?"

 _A lot of things are not making sense._ Matthew uneasily laughed, and glanced around the thinning crowd. "Um, well, I wish I could help you, but I need to get to class."

Matthew spun around, squeezing his binder closer as he made a move to morph into the hoard. He did not look back, but before he slipped away from the strange man, he heard him ponder aloud, "Maybe...I have to check into some things..."

There was no use doting; he would be late to his class if he lingered, and he did not need another tardy mark against himself.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Are you gonna eat your grilled cheese?"

Matthew's eyes flickered from the rubbery pieces of bread on his tray, to his brother looking as if he were to die without them. "You can have it."

He did not finish his reply before Alfred snatched the sandwich and devoured it. Arthur leaned to the opposite direction and asked, "Are you not hungry, Matthew?"

"The school's food is..."

"Not the best," Arthur finished politely, and Matthew stiffly nodded. At least it did not look like he was glowing anymore, most likely from the bright lights dangling from the lunchroom's ceiling. The man cracked a smile, breaking his cold exterior. "I can make you something to eat in school in the mornings, so you will not have to be hungry until you return to your home."

Matthew mustered a small smile. "No, that's okay. You don't have to."

"Nonsense! You must eat, so you have the energy to pull yourself through the day!"

"U-um, really, Arthur." _Back off,_ Matthew nervously cleared his throat. He glanced to his brother for a silent plea of help, but Alfred was gawking at something behind him, gulping his sandwich to frown.

"Dudes, there's been some creepy guy over there that keep staring at us." Matthew and Arthur looked in the direction Alfred vaguely gestured to, ignoring his warning of, "Hey, don't look when he's looking!"

It was the same man that helped Matthew pick up his spilled papers. The same one that said all those strange things. He raised hand, awkwardly waving, as if the movement was foreign. The boy immediately looked away, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Arthur, however, was still staring. The tater tot he was holding fell onto his tray, but he did not react.

"Artie? Hey, Artie!" Alfred nudged his friend, but again, he did not reply, locked in the man's gaze. He grabbed his shoulder and shook it. "Arthur!"

Arthur jumped, then a great shudder ran through him. "Goodness, what?"

"You were kind of spacing off."

"Oh, was I?"

"Yeah, dude, it was weird," Alfred chuckled a little, and elbowed his friend who paid him no heed.

Matthew risked another glance over his shoulder, peeking though the golden hair falling along the side of his glasses. The near stranger popped something small from his tray into his mouth, and seemed to ponder the taste for a moment before scrunching his face. His expression changed when he looked in their direction again. He did not do anything for a moment until his cheeks lifted in a smile, and wiggled his fingers in another strange wave. The boy decided to be nice and smile in return. _He's not as weird when he's not talking._

"Mattie! Mattie! Great, now _you're_ the one spacing out!"

"Huh, what?" Matthew turned his attention to his brother. He noticed Arthur left to discard his tray.

Alfred wiggled in his seat, and swept his eyes around the lunch room. "Okay, Mattie, I'm not going to have a lot of time to say this, but something freaky is going on."

Matthew lightly snorted, but smiled anyway. "You think?"

"I asked around if my buddies could see Arthur's glow, and they had no idea what I was talking about."

Now it was Matthew who dropped a tater tot. "What? No way. So it's only us?"

"And Artie himself. I mean, come on. You'd noticed if you were glowing, too, right?" Alfred wagged his head side to side. "That's not it. Of course he's aware. They all do it."

"Who all does it?"

With another glance around, Alfred leaned over the table, and his brother worryingly pressed closer to hear. "I don't think I'm not even supposed to know, let alone tell anyone, but-"

Matthew mashed his eyebrows together when his brother suddenly snapped back to a normal slouch when Arthur came around the table. His brother hummed innocently as he drug a tot through a pile of ketchup, and grinned at his friend when he settled into his seat. "You're going to be coming over tonight, right?"

Arthur's cheeks pinked slightly. "Yes, after I run a few errands."

"Ooh! Mattie, we all should...oh, wait, you're working tonight, aren't you?"

Matthew eased back into a casual sitting position as if he was not just suspiciously leaning over the table, and mustered a small smile. "Yeah, sorry to be a poor sport."

* * *

 _A.N.- There are a lot of tater tots being dropped in this story. Maybe, instead of calling it Limerence, I should have named it Tater Tot Drop._

 _Blehps:_

A smile slowly spread across Alfred's face, and he waited a few moments before saying, "School starts in ten minutes."

Alfred was prompty shoved off the bed.

"Ow! My leg!"


	7. Chapter 6

"When will we need to use this?"

"Uh...say if you have a ladder against a wall, and you need to know how big of a ladder you need to reach the top of something, you can take the length of the bottom of the triangle the building and the ladder form, to find out how long your ladder should be..."

Matthew gave himself a little shake of the head, not remembering how he went from nearly sprinting from school on Friday, desperate to get home, to sitting in Calculus, of all classes, on Monday morning. The pressure around his eyes made his head queazy when he tried to remember how he managed to crawl out of bed. It seemed like yesterday he was in school, instead of a short weekend ago.

A short weekend of Alfred avoiding the subject he was sure the both of them were dying to know more about, and Matthew did not dare to directly ask about it to Arthur. What if he became offended? _I need to get to the bottom of this. But how?_ The answers were certainly not in a numbing math class.

"Hey, if you don't like it, go complain to the administration," the teacher retorted to a student's whine that Matthew did not catch. "I'm just doing what I have to do to prepare you for the midterms-" The bell dismissing for that period drawled out, and the class let out a collective sigh of relief, including the instructor. Matthew quietly gathered his supplies and crept out into the crowd, only to be rudely jostled by some crazies hosting a contest of how hard they could shove each other into lockers.

Once on the ground floor, Matthew pressed his back against his locker as much as he could and grumbled about dealing with these things four more days until the weekend, and the rest of this one. He spotted a glimpse of soft light exit the stairwell and disappear into the next hallway, and demanded in quiet grumble, "Just what the Hell are you?"

Matthew straightened up, shifting his weight foot to foot as the hallway slowly cleared out until just a few stragglers were left. He took the opportunity of being able to go to lunch a few minutes later than his other periods to push off his locker and stroll down the hall, not worrying about a tardy. He passed two security guards, and kept his eyes forward.

As soon as they passed, Matthew clamped a hand over the back of his neck, and tossed a quick look around the emptying hallways as if the walls had spouted eyes that studied his every move. The security guards rounded back and began to walk in his direction, but he did not think they were so attentive as they should be. He decided to stop dawdling and get to the cafeteria, but when he turned around to go, his soles squeaked on the floor as he stopped and stared at who was standing across the hall, looking right back at him.

The strange man's face flushed a visible pink when Matthew took a hesitant step forward, and he, too, moved forward. Matthew stopped several feet from the odd guy, causing him to uncertainly jerk to a stop. "Uh, did you want something?"'

"No, I ask you that question."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am answering you. What is it that you need?"

"Um...I need answers to a lot of things."

The man smiled warmly. "I will try to answer your questions to the best of my abilities."

Matthew was sure that they were not on the same wavelength. Scratch that; they probably were not even having the same conversation! He tipped his head, befuddled, but before he could ask anything, a sharp voice snapped, "Don't you gentlemen have somewhere to be?"

Both of them tensed at one of the hall monitors glaring at them with her hands on her hips, now taking her job very seriously. Matthew blabbered, "Yes, sorry. I'm going now. See you...I guess."

"Hm?" The stranger mashed his eyebrows together as Matthew hurried pass him. "Wait, we were talking..."

The monitor droned, "That means you, too. Unless there is a problem?"

"I think there are a lot of problems to come."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"I do not understand," Arthur mashed his eyebrows in a typical scowl, but did not look up when Matthew joined the usual group at their usual lunch table. "Yes, the vehicles are moving at high speeds, but the gentlemen driving them certainly do not look at all 'furious,' but rather enjoying themselves. They should call it 'Fast and Fun...' or something like that."

Alfred snickered at his friend's attempt at humor and snatched a fry from his plate. "Maybe the guys whose stuff the main dudes took are mad, so that's where the 'furious' part comes in, and you said yourself that their cars are 'fast.'"

Matthew tried not to stare at the slightly glowing complexion of his brother's friend, more noticeable on an overcast day. "Hey, Al. What are you two up to?"

" _Hmph,_ interesting, and you said there are seven movies out now?"

"Yeah, the newest one is still in theaters!" Alfred bounced in his seat a few times, excited as his cheeks colored pink. "You want to maybe go and see them together?"

Matthew's jaw clenched, and he slouched closer to the table.

"Movie theaters are expensive, aren't they?"

"Nah, it's the food that wipes you out, but don't worry about it! My dad's royalty check should come into the mail soon. We can hit up McDonalds before so we don't have to give up some of our organs for popcorn."

"I beg your pardon, I plan on keeping my insides-"

Matthew sighed, hitting the table with his hands when his brother reached over and grabbed a tater tot from his tray. "Alfred, that money is for groceries!"

Alfred jumped a little. "Hey, Mattie!" He immediately went back to his giggling, "Dude, it's a figure of speech. Keep your guts."

Arthur crossed his arms. "I was going to anyway."

Matthew took this opportunity to pilfer a French fry from his brother's platter that he did not notice. "Alfred, did you speak to...that strange guy lately?"

"What strange guy? That one with the staring problems?"

"Hush, not so loud!" Matthew swished a hand at his brother. "He might be staring!" All three lunchmates glanced in the direction of the table that the man sat the previous week, but he was not there. "Huh, that's weird. I just saw him in the hall."

Alfred gasped, "Maybe he's skipping!"

Matthew fidgeted in his seat.

"You seem troubled," Arthur noted. "Is this...strange man treating you poorly?"

"No, not at all. He just...keeps saying weird things..."

His brother blurted, "Creepy things?!"

"No, no! Like," Matthew bit his lip as his face grew hot. Alfred snatched another tater tot. "Nevermind. I'm probably just overthinking things."

Alfred shrugged, but then squeaked when Arthur pulled on his ear. "Alfred, do you know taking things that are not yours is said to be a sin?"

"Ow! Do you see the itty bitty meals they give us? I'm so hungry!"

"Yes, but Matthew is a growing boy as well. Show more consideration for your brother."

"Hey, Mattie, do you want any of your tots?"

"Huh, what? Um, no?"

"See?" Alfred stuck his tongue out at Arthur for a quick moment before snatching his brother's food and plopping it onto his tray.

"Bugger," Arthur's face grew from vague agitation to interest as Alfred took the entire dish and slid all the tater tots down his throat, but averted his gaze to the other brother, who was obviously troubled.

~.~

~( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)~

~.~

When Matthew walked into his workplace that evening, he could not believe the day was nearing to a close. It seemed like a dream, that he would wake up to his brother doing something stupid to get him up for school. All the day's work, down the drain, and he would have to do it all again, for real this time. He caught himself putting a non-fiction book between two fictions.

The bell attached to the door jingled, but it was a sound etched to the back of his mind that he learned to tune out. He weaved out of the clustered book shelves, toward the selection of non-fiction works. Matthew was scanning the back of the book he was holding when heavy footsteps made the floor boards groan. He lifted his gaze as the steps grew louder, closer. A large shadow stretched across the wooden floorboards. Matthew raised the book in a threatening gesture as he slowly faced the new customer.

"May I help..." His eyes widened, gawking stupidly at the strange man occupying his workplace. "You again!"

The man's face lit up. "Yes, me! Hello, Mattie!"

"What are you doing here?!"

The strange man's expression of glee fell into one of hurt. "Am I not allowed in this store of books?"

"No, no, I mean, yes, you can be in here." Matthew pushed up his askew glasses, and sharply sighed, amusing his company. "How did you know my name?"

The man's short lived smile fell to a look of vague fright. "I...I heard it from your brother."

 _Al said he did not talk to this guy._ "Oh, really? What else did Alfred tell you?"

"Nothing. I simply heard him call you that multiple times."

Matthew turned away and set the book in its appropriate place. _Gotcha._ "Oh, so you have been creeping long and close enough to catch this."

The man's face infamed to a strong pink despite his tight lipped smile. "I do not creep!"

"Really? Then how did you find this place? It's easy to miss if you do not know what you're looking for."

"I followed you."

"That's creepy."

"Is it?" The man seemed genuinely shocked. "I have no intentions on this...creeping that you insist I am doing."

Matthew lightly demanded, "Then who are you, and what do you want?"

His company easily replied, "I needed to know that it was _you_ I was looking for. I could not go to just anybody walking around, could I? No," he kept going before Matthew could get a word in, "that would be spreading word of what I am to these people that did not need to know about it, and that would increase the chance of my cover being blown. You have seen me before, and you know already, so there should be no harm of returning now. I am better at hiding, and have come to answer your summons."

"Oh my God, you're a criminal."

"Wait, what? No, I said nothing of the sort. Criminals show up where they are not wanted. I am here because you have summoned me."

"I did not summon anything!"

The man let out a short snort, and his smile was fighting to stay on his face. "It must have been a long time since we first met, so I understand that you may have forgotten some things as I have, but you called me recently! It had to be no more than a few sunrises ago! It had to be you. Who else could have known about my blood sigil, and where it was? I have left it for you."

Matthew weakly echoed. "Bl-blood sigil?" Just like a rubber band snapping to its original position, his mind leaped to the odd symbol in that little shed in his back yard. _There was only one person, or one type of person that would leave it there-_

"Hey!" Someone barked from the other side of the aisle. Matthew's coworker, Lovino, balanced the spine of a children's book in his palm and had his other on his hip. "You're not causing problems, are you?"

Matthew peered around his company to shake his head. "No, everything's fine, so put the book down."

Lovino narrowed his eyes, but slipped the book back into its proper slot. "The trash outside needs to be thrown out. I did it last time."

"Yeah, I got it," Matthew waved a hand, not wanting to deal with his coworker moan and groan. He made his way to the back of the store, and the strange man trailed behind him. He slipped outside into the biting breeze and called behind himself, "So, you're following me?"

"We still need to talk, do we not?" The man's head peeked out the door. "What are you doing?"

"Dumping the trash bin into the dumpster. Sometimes, it needs to be done so it doesn't overflow and homeless people get into it. Or worse, animals. At least the hobos clean up after themselves...sometimes." Matthew yanked the handle of the trash can, but he almost popped his shoulder from the force, as the bin stuck to the ground. "Ah, crap, it's frozen to the asphalt."

A warm gust of air puffed out when the man swung open the door and stepped outside. He rubbed his hands together before wrapping his arms around the trash can. Matthew took a step back, exclaiming in surprise as it ripped from the ground with a grunt.

"Look!" The man cheered. "I got it unstuck!"

"Wow," Matthew blinked rapidly, and pointed to the dumpster at the end of the alley. "Can you dump that in that bin over there?"

The near stranger happily complied, swinging the waste as if it were weightless. He spun around and trotted back to Matthew, set the can where he plucked it from, and was about to face him when his boot slid out from himself, crying out in shock. Matthew reached out and grabbed onto his ugly, patchy jacket, catching the both of them when he slipped as well.

"The frozen water is more slippery than it looks!" The man exclaimed, shakily laughing. He gave Matthew's arm a squeeze. "And you are more solid than you look!"

"Uh...thanks? I think that's the only bad thing about winter. All the ice, and sometimes, it looks like a puddle of water, and then I go to step on it..." he trailed off when the man's grip lowered to his hand, raising it and turning it over experimentally. "Can I know your name at least?"

"I think you already know it."

"You're Vanya?"

His eyes widened in the slightest bit. "You may call me Ivan, if you prefer something more formal."

"Ee..? Oh, Ivan, yeah, okay. Let me get this straight. You came here because I somehow called you by using that strange painting on a wall on my dad's old shed? Do you know how crazy that sounds?"

"Maybe to you, but that is how it usually goes."

"The guy from then...!" Matthew sharply exhaled, feeling colder the longer he was out in the alleyway. It was a type of chill that he did not find pleasant. "The man that left that strange thing was different...he was not like us."

"Not like a human? Why, thank you, I try very hard to-" A heavy gust of wind caused Ivan to flinch and pull his scarf over his cheeks. "So cold!"

The light above the door flickered briefly before blowing out. Matthew inhaled sharply at the sudden darkness. "I just changed that last week! Brr," he wrapped his arms around his torso as another biting wind whipped across the alley. "We should head inside to talk, and...are you all right?"

Ivan stood rigid, his muffler slackening as he sniffed the air several times. He suddenly gasped, and spun around, skittering on the ice as he scrambled toward the door before throwing himself inside.

"Where are you going?" Matthew spat. He was about to follow him into the store, but a large shadow spread across the next building's wall. Matthew's throat tightened as he made out an approaching glow from around the corner of the alleyway. "H-hello?"

The figure stopped. "Hello, Matthew."

Matthew gripped the door knob, ready to flee. The light over his head dimly ebbed to life, and he caught a recognizable scowl. "Arthur? What are you doing here? Is my brother with you?"

"There is no need to be concerned for Alfred; he is safe. I mean to ask you if you have spotted anything strange around here."

"Strange?"

Arthur drew closer, his steady glow matching the sconce's flicker. "Yes. Anything notable, or...other worldly, perhaps." Matthew glanced up, and the other man stopped in front of him. He leaned in and took a long whiff, which earned him a disgruntled look.

Matthew wanted to say it was Arthur, in fact, that was strange, but he had turned away, taking quick sniffs. All he could smell was the garbage as the cold bit his nose. He blurted, "You like making things obvious, do you?"

Arthur demanded, "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"No. I mean, no, I did not see anything weird around here." _Besides you._

'"Very well," Arthur sighed, and lifted an arm in dismissal as he turned to walk away. "Stay safe, lad."

"But..." Matthew began, but Arthur was already out of sight. "What is up with all these weird people?" Another wind rolled in, and he turned to escape the chill, but the door cracked open from the other side. He stepped away as Ivan's pale face popped out.

"You know him?"

"Y-yeah. He's one of my brother's friends." Matthew studied his company's wide violet eyes, but when they flickered to him, he dropped his head to the asphalt. "Is something wrong?"

"That smell! It stings my nose!"

"What, the garbage?"

"Not just that. There was one of them nearby..."

"One of what?"

Ivan let out a deep noise of thought. "Maybe we should not worry about it. Worrying may call them closer."

Matthew asked in a small voice, "Can I get inside? It's really windy."

"Will you believe what I have to tell you?"

 _Do I really want to know?_ After thinking of how interesting things were becoming, he realized, _Yeah, I kind of do._ "I'll listen, then decide whether to believe it or not."

Ivan sprung a smile again, and pushed open the door to beckon him inside. "There is a deal!"

* * *

 _Blehps:_

(1) The monitor droned, "That means you, too. Unless there is a problem?"

"I think there are a lot of problems to come. Will they be because of me? We will see! Uhuhuhuuhu!~"

"...get to class!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

(2) "I mean to ask you if you have spotted anything strange around here."

"Strange?"

Arthur drew closer, his steady glow matching the sconce's flicker. "Yes. Anything notable, or...other worldly, perhaps." Matthew glanced up, and the other man stopped in front of him. He leaned in, and took a long whiff. "Oh! What kind of soap is that?"

"You like it? It's oatmeal and rose petal scented!"


	8. Chapter 7

"You're leaving?" Lovino asked Matthew when he saw him gather his hoodie.

"Um, yes. I hope you don't mind. Something came up. I'm sure Antonio won't care...if he even finds out, right?"

His coworker glanced to Ivan, but shrugged. Matthew took that as a good sign, and hurried out the small bookstore. His new company followed close behind, but kept glancing up at the dark sky, and twisted around to let out startled gasps whenever a car zoomed by.

Matthew stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to face him. "Hey, are you all right?"

Ivan skittered to a halt, tipping his head. "I think that glowing one is suspicious."

"Wait, you can see it? Suspicious of what?"

"Me!" Ivan said, as if it were obvious. Another bitter breeze blew from behind him, and he clamped his arms around himself, cringing from the cold. "It has always been like that, since the beginning, but I do not want you to be afraid of me. Although it would be funny for a while, I want to do other things. Things that cannot be done if you are screaming and running away."

Matthew took a steadying breath, clenching and unclenching his numb fingers. "Why would I be scared of you in the first place?"

"Many of you are, and for what?" Ivan aimed the question to himself. "It is not like I can...stop it."

"Stop what?" The boy urged in a matching murmur. "Tell me, please." _Before we both freeze in the middle of the sidewalk._

"I cannot stop being a demon, Mattie."

"Oh." Matthew weakly nodded. "A demon? Is that what you said? Like, from Hell? Is that what you are?" It sounded ridiculous when he said it aloud, but with everything that happened so far, it was starting to become more realistic.

"Yes. Where else would they come from?"

"Inner turmoil?" Matthew squeaked. Ivan was waiting for a legit answer so he said, "But you...you were different from before..." He remembered drawing the memory of their first meet countless times in his head, and on paper when he was younger. There was supposed to be something more.

 _Demons do not exist,_ logic would say, but logic never performed well against emotion and memory. Matthew snapped to the cold reality, and quickly said, "I...um, I need to get home."

"Oh, did I frighten you?"

"You didn't. I just need to check on something, and then...I'll think of something for us to do."

"When?"

The man seemed rather desperate, so Matthew asked, "Do you have a marker?"

Ivan reached inside his jacket and produced a thin pen. "Will this work for whatever you need it?"

Matthew took the stylus and uncapped it. "Paper?"

"What about it?"

Matthew shook his head. "If you don't have that either, may I write something on your hand? It'll wash off."

"Y-yes?" Ivan said uncertainly, holding out his arm. He hissed when the point was brought to his skin, but realized it did not hurt as the ink scrawled across his palm. When Matthew was finished and surrendered the pen, he asked, "What are those numbers for?"

"So you can call me...wait, you know how to use a phone, right?"

"Uh...yes."

Matthew gave Ivan a skeptical look. "Okay...call me in a little bit, but I have to get home, first. It's getting late and cold."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Hey, Mattie!" Alfred called from the couch when his brother darted into the house. Matthew zoomed up the stairs without a word. "Bye, Mattie!"

Matthew tore down the hall and threw open his bedroom door. He circled around his room, wondering where to start tearing it apart. "Stupid, there's no way..." He knelt down beside his bed and pulled out a flat tote from under it. He rummaged inside the notebooks, but they were just old projects from school.

Nothing besides clothes and a candy bar he forgotten about was in his dresser, much to his building distress, and mild surprise at the chocolate. Matthew's bedroom was tidy, if a bit cluttered, but there was no difficulty in finding anything that was lost. He wondered if he could find something he still doubted that was real. Yet he remembered that Alfred would sometimes hide whoopee cushions beneath his mattress, so he lifted the old box spring when nothing but a tucked bed sheet was under the cot.

Between the support beams and the box spring, hid a piece of folded paper. Matthew slowly plucked it from its years long resting place and lowered his mattress without taking his eyes from the paper. Despite his eagerness shown in shaky hands, he gently opened the old parchment and gazed upon the crayon drawing for a long, quiet moment before lightly snickering at the ridiculous scribbles.

Two long brown sticks with a green bush on top represented a tree, and a large person with a blobby body stood next to it. He had black triangles coming from his sides, as well as little lighter ones from the side of his head. A line beneath purple dots represented a smile at the bottle shaped object the little figure was holding out. He even had light lines coming from a bulge around his neck, which Matthew guessed were supposed to be a scarf.

 _"What are you drawing,_ Matthieu _?"_

 _"My friend!" The boy proudly exclaimed, and leaned away from the drawing he hunched over. His father turned the sheet to get a good look at it, and his soft smile fell into an expression of worry._

 _"That is...an interesting picture."_

 _"Boring!" A young Alfred sang from the stool beside his brother, his legs swinging back and forth as he waited for lunch. "You should hear about the friend_ I _made!"_

"There you are." Matthew giggled at the beautiful artwork, now remembering the scene of the art take place in his yard ten years ago, though the memory was distant. He also remembered hiding the paper, his secret from his family. Yet it was real, and it _did_ happen, all connecting to scrawls on the shed's wall. He set the paper on his dresser and pulled out his phone to glance at the screen, wondering if demons knew how to use cellular devices.

Matthew lightly slapped a hand to his face. "Demons," he sputtered into his palm. "What's next, vampires and werewolves?" This was bigger than he could have ever imagined! Yet it was what he was secretly yearning for, and whether or not this was a blood-thirsty, full-of-sin demon or an odd guy driven by simple curiosity, he was going to soak up this dream while he still could.

He gasped when his phone loudly vibrated. His thumb hesitated over the answer button for a moment, looking at the unfamiliar number. "Yes, hello?"

"Mattie? Is this Mattie? Please be Mattie!"

After trying to not laugh too noticeably, he said, "Yeah, it's me."

"Mattie!" Ivan's voice on the other end cried in relief. "I was touching these number buttons, and I must have put the wrong numbers in this err, metal box. Then this strange voice asked me what I was wearing. They said I had to give them money! I only had a few coins I found on the ground, and I put a lot in this...t-tell-ee-puh-hone."

 _Off with a great start._ "Did you give them any information?"

"No, I pressed the end button, because I wanted to stop the weird moaning in the background. Are you laughing?"

Matthew had to put a hand to his mouth to straighten out. "No, no...it was just a little cough. So, um, I found something I drew. It has us on it."

"Us?"

"From that day in my back yard, when we first met."

"Oh, you drew us? That is great to hear!" After a moment of silence, Ivan asked, "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, surprisingly," Matthew murmured. "I'm sorry, this is just crazy. I'm chatting with a _demon_ on a phone none the less. It's kind of...a lot to take in."

"Am I intimidating?"

"Uh..." The teen decided to answer honestly, "A little bit."

"Only a little bit? I might have to work on that!"

"Ha-ha, no, that's not what is bothering me."

Ivan's light fit of giggles died for a more serious tone. "Something bothers you?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but why are you here? Not that I don't want you around, though at first I didn't know what was going on, but it's fine now. Maybe we could get to know-"

"You called me!"

Matthew let out a quiet sigh. "Yeah, you said that. But why? Why did you come from...Hell just because _I_ summoned you?"

"I thought it is rude to ignore somebody that asked for you."

"It is. I mean, what are you doing here _aside_ from the fact that I called? Are you going to do...demon things?"

"Demon things?"

 _Argh, that sounded terrible and maybe a little racist, if that is the right word to use._ "Um...yeah, like...wage a holy war with humans in the middle?"

The other line was silent for a heavy moment. Matthew glanced at his phone screen with baited breath, but the call timer was still counting. Just as he was about to spew out a lame apology, the speaker became alive with Ivan's hearty laughter. He was able to make out only a few fragments, "Oh, no...you...ha, ha! Tell me you are joking so it can feel right to laugh!"

"A little."

"Good! Bwahaha-!"

Matthew nodded in beat, not able to help his own grin of amusement. "Are you all right over there?"

"Yes, yes. Oh, yes, I have not laughed like that since...I cannot remember! My sides hurt now!"

"I'm sorry?"

"No, do not apologize. It is one of the good kinds of hurt!"

Matthew was glad that they were not speaking face-to-face, because he was smiling like a happy idiot. _First impressions are liars!_ "If you say so..."

"Where were we? Ah, yes, although a little bit of trouble would be uplifting, that is not what I am after. I have been growing restless lately, and I feel as if I am not doing anything when there is a lot of everything! Especially on the surface, with these...these things that humans created! I was searching for, no, I needed something interesting, or something..."

"Something different?"

"Yes! It seems like you are wearing my shoes!"

"I'm what?" Matthew echoed, and glanced down to his socked feet.

"There is a saying about shoes I heard. You say you wear someone else's shoes, but you are not?"

 _You walk a mile in someone else's shoes._ "Uh, yeah, it seems like I am. I really am. It's...there's more out there, you know? Besides what I have. I don't mean to be selfish and entitled-"

"It is not selfish to look for your own happiness. Is that not what everyone else is doing?"

"Maybe they are...Hey, Ivan, I didn't mean to forget about that drawing. About you. I can't believe I forgot. I don't know what I was thinking-"

"You do not need to apologize, Children's minds never stay in one place for long, but you are much more grown than that now, so do not forget about me again!"

Matthew glanced to his old crayon drawing, and his cheeks were starting to numb from smiling so much. "I don't think I can." _I have a feeling that I don't have a choice, either. Not that I mind._ "There's a little problem, though."

"A problem?"

"So, you _are_ the same guy from all those years ago that was just chilling in my back yard, but if I remember correctly, Mister Demon had wings on his back. One of them was ripped! Did you...did you lose them afterwards?"

"I am not sure I would go the length of stripping myself just to walk amongst humans, Mattie. No, they are still around, but I am hiding them."

A trunk or even a nearby closet would be strange hiding spots for demon stuff. "Hiding them where?"

"They are cloaked! When I cloak myself, everything is hidden from prying eyes, and I look just like your kind. Ah, this is difficult to describe to you. It is so humans do not look at me and scream. It can attract...unwanted attention."

"You can do that sort of thing? Whoa, that's actually pretty cool."

"No, I still feel as warm as I do when I am uncloaked."

"It's another figure of speech, Ivan."

"Oh."

Matthew nearly jumped out of his skin when several raps resonated against his bedroom door. "Um, I have to go!"

"So soon?"

"Yeah, yeah!" He hissed into his phone, "We'll talk again soon, okay? Goodbye."

Ivan tersely agreed with, "Yes, soon."

"Bro?"

Matthew ended the call, and slouched slightly. "What is it, Al?"

"Is someone in your room?"

"No, I was just on the phone." _Oh no, how much did he hear?_

The door creaked open and his brother's head popped in, and his eyes scanned the quaint room. "Really? You got a friend?"

"Shut up, Al."

Alfred snickered, and took the liberty to nonchalantly slip into the bedroom. "You came home later than usual tonight. I was thinking 'bout getting you. Did something hold you up?"

"No, I'm fine." Just a demon kept him. Matthew smiled at his brother's possible reactions, but did not consider actually telling him that. "Uh, Lovino went home early, so I had to stay behind and put away the new arrivals, but I'm home now."

Alfred only made a noncommittal sound, and set his jaw in a thoughtful look.

"Where's Arthur at?"

The other brother rolled his eyes. "You know, we aren't up each other's asses _all_ the time." When Matthew simply stared with a mildly shocked expression, Alfred continued, "Last I heard, he's out for a walk."

Matthew knew that. "Alone? Outside in the cold night?"

An unusually meek smile crept onto Alfred's face. "Artie may not look like it, but he can handle himself."

"I'm sure, too," Matthew lightly lied, "but Al, something is...different about Arthur."

"Yeah, I know."

"You know?"

His brother leaned against the doorway. "Yeah. I said I know."

"I saw him...lurking around at the bookstore. He asked me if I saw anything...'otherworldly' about."

Alfred's expression fell as he straightened. "Well, did you?"

A moment of hesitation. "No, I didn't, but don't you find anything weird about that?"

Alfred's shoulders quickly rose, lamely shrugging. "Maybe he's a Ghostbuster."

"Al."

"What, Mattie?" Alfred clocked the door with a hard shove from his hip, and it bounced off the wall. "Does it bother you that much?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Matthew held his hands up. "Arthur's a real angel."

Alfred's breath caught, and he covered it with a wheezy laugh, and his brother gave a questioning raise of the eyebrows. "Yeah, you got that right." Alfred stepped toward the door, checking to see how much damage there was to the wall. He lingered in his spot, not meeting Matthew's suspicious gaze. "Mattie?"

"Yeah, Al?"

"Do you ever think we were meant for something more?"

The serious tone made Matthew worried. "What do you mean?"

Another shrug, and Alfred distractedly traced the wood paneling. "Isn't there more to life than trying to go through years of school to find a decent job to raise a family? What if we had a bigger destiny, or something else to do?"

"Where is all of this coming from?" Matthew uneasily laughed, but then quietly choked off as a startling thought ran through his mind. _Oh my God...if Ivan is a demon...does that mean there's angels out there, too? With that weird glowing, is Arthur...? I wonder if Lovino or one of my teachers are secret mermaids, or even dragons_. He let out a another nervous laugh, and his brother gave him a wary look. "Al, if there's anything you need to talk about..."

"Um, yeah, I will," Alfred looked down, giving the carpet a frown. "I'm just...thinking about lots of stuff. It's late, you know?" He broke out of his stupor to unleash a dramatic yawn from the bellows of his lungs. "Whew! I'm going to bed! 'Night!"

"Huh? So fast? Okay, I guess. Goodnight," Matthew softly called down the hall, grabbed the knob, and slowly closed the door. "He thinks so, too?"


	9. Chapter 8

"Come on, I was so close!"

Matthew walked into the kitchen the following weekend, bleary eyed to see his brother aiming the toaster sideways. "Al, what the Hell are you doing?" The school week finally ended its drawn out torture to make way for the short-lived weekend, and the first thing he saw when he woke up was his brother being stupid. He was not surprised.

"What's it look like?" Alfred beamed, holding his hand out toward the plate on the island counter. "Toaster launcher!" He jumped back with a whoop when two slices of toast flew out of the appliance, colliding with the side of a cabinet and falling to the floor.

"How many pieces of bread have you used for this?"

"Today?"

Matthew stared blankly at his brother. "Let's go with that."

Alfred scooped up the crumby slices and jammed them back into the toaster. He readjusted the appliance before pushing down the front lever. "Since we are low on bread, I've been using the same two pieces."

"I don't think I want to reason against that."

 _Poing!_ "Yes!" Alfred hollered, jumping up and down. "I did it! Mattie, I did it!"

"That's great Al," Matthew turned from the fridge with a glass of milk. He felt bad for the hockey pucks laying crumpled on the plate. "Are you going to eat those, or did you let our already depleting food store go to waste...even more?"

Alfred's victorious smile grew limp. "I guess if I put enough butter on them, the charred edges won't be so bad." After bathing his slabs of toast in enough butter, he settled on the stool next to his brother, and elbowed him in the side. "You got any plans today, Mattie?"

Matthew lightly swatted his brother away. "Yeah, I'm going to this wicked party later on and getting knocked up."

"Ha-ha!" Alfred chortled, bits of ash flying out of his mouth. "Wait a minute," he gulped, wincing. "You're not going to an actual party later on, right?"

"Nor am I getting knocked up, no. Though I will be...going to the park later."

"Eck, it's all cold outside. They're calling for snow this afternoon."

Matthew mustered a smile. "Even better."

His brother gave him a confused glance. "So, like...you got a girlfriend now all of a sudden? You were talking to somebody all secret-secret the other day. And yesterday, if I remember right." He elbowed Matthew's side with an annoying, "Huh? Huh!"

"Stop that! I don't have a girlfriend!"

"Then it was a guy! Dude!"

"Nothing like that!"

Alfred whistled as he grabbed a overly crisp piece of toast. "Mattie!"

"I said shut up. You sound like Dad now! Everytime I talk to someone, he thinks it's because I want to jump their bones!"

"Hey, I'm not judging!" _Crunch!_ "Woo, that's buttery. I dunno what I'm doing. It's the weekend, so why make plans? I might play some video games later."

Matthew eased. "You do that nearly everyday you come home from school."

"Yeah, but since it's Saturday, I can play them _all day._ "

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Of course."

Alfred suddenly announced, "I might invite Artie over later, too, and I can beat his ass again!"

Matthew choked, and milk spewed out of his mouth.

"I mean in video games!"

"Of course you did," he grabbed for a few napkins.

Alfred must have noticed his brother's sour face, as he nudged him and said, "He's not that bad of a person, Mattie!"

"I never said he was."

"I know that! It's just that he can seem...cold at times, but I think that he has trouble getting along with people." Alfred must have thought it was a good idea to add, "Kind of like you in the morning!"

 _Does he even know?_ Matthew could not bring up the topic of the strange man being something more than what meets most people's eyes to his brother. He was not sure Alfred knew, and if he did not know, and it was brought up, it could be compromising to secret identities! _Then again, do I even know?_ "Be quiet and eat your toast. If you can even call it that."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew caught himself mauling over his bedhead, worrying like a self concious fashionista in the bathroom mirror. One should dress nicely when going out with a potential friend, demonic or not. His eyes narrowed at his reflection, daring it to judge. "A demon, huh? Much less Hellfire and screaming than I thought there would be." Staring at his tussled reflection, he wondered if the only way he could get friends was through Hell and back.

Slinking away in pursuit of warm clothes, Matthew decided he wasted enough time with his outlook before breezing downstairs. Alfred was already starting his marathon in front of the TV. He glanced over his shoulder and slugged an arm over the sofa. "Heya, Mattie, where you going?"

"Out," Matthew simply replied, bending down to pull up his socks that were trying to sneak away from his ankles. "I already told you I was going to the park."

His brother stared at him for a few moments, checking out his winter gear. "Did you ever consider pulling up your hair into a man bun?"

"What?"

"A man bun, Mattie! You should grow you hair out a little bit more, so you can style it into a bun!"

"I'm leaving now, Al. Try not to break your ribs again."

Alfred called out as his brother swung open the front door, "That was one time!"

"One time is all it takes! Kids these days," Matthew mused once the door shut, and lightly laughed at himself as he descended the porch. "Who am I kidding? I'm only seventeen."

He grew quiet, reveling in the crisp late morning without awful winds. "Only seventeen," he whispered, "and I'm meeting up with a demon to do what? 'As you can see over here, these are monkey bars. Kids dangle off of them, not monkeys, so don't ask me about the name.'" The boy imagined Ivan hooking his legs from the bars, surprised at being upside down.

A warmth bloomed on his cheeks despite the winter around him, and Matthew looked up, smiling. "Speak of the devil."

"Mattie!" Ivan called out, several paces ahead of him. "It is cold!"

They stopped a few feet from one another. Matthew snickered at the man clad in layers of clothes, and his light scarf was the finishing touch, a thick plop of cloth around the collar of his outermost coat. "I know you should 'bundle up' during winter, but this is a whole new level!"

"Mattie!"

"All right, I'll stop pulling your leg. You must not be used to the cold, since where you come from after all..."

"Yes, the eternal fires of Hell is nothing like the suffering with this frozen torture!"

 _That's going to take some getting used to._ Matthew tucked his hair behind his ear only for it to fall into place again. "I think we should go now. It won't be so bad if we start moving."

Ivan eagerly nodded, wounding his arms around his torso, only to gasp and pat his chest in panicked movements. "Oh! I nearly forgot!" His gloved hand wiggled into his coat, producing a long stem with a blood red rose perched on top. "It's crumbled," he announced, sporting a lost expression. "I tried keeping it warm..."

Matthew stared at the crinkled flower with a fixed gaze, and awkwardly commented, "I-it still looks nice. Where did you get it?"

"The flower cart man gave it to me, because he had no money to give."

"No money to give...? Ivan, did you rob somebody?"

"Hell no! Demons have manners!" Ivan brought the rose to his nose. "I helped him prepare the displays, but no one bought any flowers."

"Oh, you got a job? Or something human to do? It's lovely, by the way."

Ivan held the flower out to him.

"You want me to smell it?"

"No! The sell man said for me to give it to someone special. It is yours! I am giving it to you!"

"For me?" Matthew echoed. Ivan grabbed his hand and curled Matthew's fingers around the stem, so he had no choice but to clutch onto the rose. At least the thorns have been plucked off.

"Nice, yes?"

"Um, yeah, really nice!"

Ivan smiled and took his other hand to tow him down the sidewalk.

"Where are you taking me?"

After several paces, Ivan took in his surroundings. "I have not planned a specific place to be," he admitted. "I must been caught in the moment!"

 _His hand is really, really warm._ Matthew cursed under his breath with his gaze dropping to his shoes. _Inhumanly warm, duh,_ he scolded his stupid thoughts."I know a good place to go."

Ivan straightened up from leaning to meet his downcasted stare. "Lead the way!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

In the middle of winter, only people brave or crazy enough to be out in the freezing temperatures were at the park, including a cloaked creature of Hell and the teen clinging to his hand.

"There is nobody here," Ivan announced grimly, and gave Matthew a confused look. "Why go somewhere so cold and empty?"

Matthew pointed at the sky. "Just wait and see."

Ivan followed his gaze, squinting up at the sheets of gray clouds. After a few moments, his neck cramped from the upward stare, and he glanced to Matthew again. "Is something supposed to-"

A thick chunk of snow landed right on the tip of Ivan's nose, causing him to flinch and swat as the clump melted. "What was-?" Much to his mild surprise, more of those mysterious flakes fluttered from the sky and clung to his eyelashes, and he let go of Matthew's hand to claw at the air, catching some, only for them to melt in his gloved palms.

"Matthew! What is it?"

Once Matthew was able to take a breath without bursting out in laughter, he said, "It's snow!"

"Etsno?"

"Snow! If it is cold enough, this comes down instead of rain."

Ivan knelt down and peeled off his glove. "It is so...white!" He grabbed at some of the snow already sticking to the dead grass blades, but immediately retracted and vigorously shook his hand. "Cold!"

Matthew took this opportunity to set the stem on a nearby bench and pull together a decent clump. The snowball make a satisfying _thump_ , exploding into a dust cloud of white down Ivan's back. The man remained in his squatting position for a few moments, listening to him trying not to laugh without much success, then whipped around with a pile of snow gathered in his palm and threw it, but it was not packed, so the white dust flew back into his face.

"Oh," Ivan pouted, wiping at his eyes before erupting into a brigade of embarrassed giggles. "This snow is not good for throwing. How did you-" Another ball of snow directly splattered on his nose.

"Shit!" Matthew spat, his hands flying up to his mouth. Ivan blinked the snow flakes from his eyes, and gave a curious tilt of the head. "Are you all right? I didn't mean to hit you right in the face! Great, I sound like an asshole-"

A ferocious snarl gave him a short warning before he was tackled to the hard ground. Ivan's great weight pinned him to the snow covered grass, and Matthew only saw his pale hair as he laughed and kicked feebly from beneath him. The man scooped up some of the snow with his free arm and splattered it against Matthew's head.

"Hey!" Matthew spat, grabbed clumps of snow with both of his hands, and showered Ivan in a baptism of white.

A passerby took a short cut across the park to get to the sidewalk on the other side, and saw two guys wreathing and attacking one another with bits of snow. However, they were laughing, so there was no cause for alarm. "Whatever makes you happy, _amigos._ "

Ivan sat up. "Did someone say something?"

Matthew followed suit, and pulled on the man's ear. "Your face is all red."

"Ow! As is yours!" Ivan tugged on a flyaway strand of hair. Matthew retorted by gathering more snow, but the man rolled away before he could get any ideas. His whole body let out one great shake. " _Brr_ , I do not think I have ever been this cold in my life!"

"That's right!" Matthew gasped, scrambling to his feet. "The cold must be worse for you, coming from Hell and all!" He clamped a hand over his mouth. "It's really weird to say that so casually."

Ivan rose to stand with a big grunt. A gust of wind blew an angry wave of snow into his face. "Perhaps a little, and by little, I mean a lot. It is cold! Snow is not fun any longer!"

"All right, stop trying to fight the snow, Ivan," Matthew grabbed his coat sleeve, and gave his arm a pleasant squeeze. "We should find somewhere to warm up."

Ivan's eyes widened. "All the way back your house?"

"Hm, not yet. There's a small convenience store nearby that has beverage machines. That includes hot drinks, too."

"Beverage...machines?" Ivan echoed, eagerly following at the aspect of 'warm' and 'convenience store'.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Ivan could not decide what flavor hot chocolate to fill his styrofoam cup, so he walked down the street sipping on a mixture of all seven that was available at the marvelous place with bright lights and a lot of colors called a 'gas station.' There were lots of bizzare sounds, like the humming of the freezer when it brought out clouds of cold, as if there were not enough outside already, the beverage machines whining as they released steaming liquid from a small hole in the bottom, and a sudden _bing_ of the 'cash register' when its drawer popped open. All of which would render an outsider unusually skittish.

"Be careful on the first sip," Matthew warned as they exited the small shop. "It can burn your tongue."

"Good," Ivan said, tipping back the largest sized cup the convenience store had, and guzzled half of the contents. "I need something hot to unthaw my hands." He squinted against the driving snow. "How often do you have to suffer with this...mess?!"

"Not everyone has to deal with snow. Those who live further south get milder winters, but for us personally, every winter it snows. Sometimes, it doesn't stop for a couple of days."

"Nonstop snow?" Ivan flinched when he widened his eyes; the flurries took advantage of the opening. "This is some kind of...chilled torture I never knew about! Seeing nothing but white makes my eyes weird!"

"Do you not get...weather in...uh, Hell?"

The man smiled after he took another gulp of his beverage. "I am sure you already know it is hot, and that does not really change. It can rain sometimes in higher grounds, but even the rain is warm."

"Weird. I never would think there would be any sort of water in Hell. Just lava."

"There is lava, too."

"Let me guess, demons bathe in the lava?"

"Are you doing the leg pulling again?" Ivan lightly snorted. "We tend to stay away from the lava pools, unless you want your skin to melt off."

"That doesn't sound fun."

"It is not, no." Ivan peeled off the lid of his cup and let out an exclamation of shock. "There is no more?!"

"You drank it all," Matthew reminded him, taking a small sip from his own beverage.

"Do you think I can get more?"

"Now?"

"Yes."

"Ivan, we are almost at my house."

"Do you have any there?"

"You will have to come inside and get your own then!"

"That is fine!"

"My brother is home, though. I don't think you two had met before."

"I have seen him around," Ivan simply said, but fell quiet as they crossed the front lawn.

Matthew stopped before the door. "You know, my dad probably does not want strangers in his house while he's away."

"I am not a stranger!"

The teen glanced at his drink to somewhat hide his broad smile. "All right then, stranger, let's go." He turned to crack open the door, but as soon as the heat from inside blew out in a relieving gust, Ivan drew in a loud, shaky breath. He suddenly felt himself be yanked away from the doorway.

"What- hey!" Matthew wiggled and tried to pull away from being crushed against Ivan, but the man did not budge.

Ivan's Styrofoam cup clattered onto the wood planks, but he did not pay it any attention. "There is an acutal stranger in your house!"

* * *

 _Blehps:_

Matthew dared his reflection to judge. "Fight me, you hoser."

The reflection held up two fists. "When and where?"

The boy shat himself.


	10. Chapter 9

"A stranger?" Matthew choked out. "Are you sure it's not my brother, or Arthur?"

Ivan's chest rumbled against his shoulder blades as he growled, "It is neither of them."

"What if it's a burglar?" Matthew asked aloud, mostly to himself, and tightened his grip on his cup of cocoa. He considered using the hot liquid as a weapon.

His company only let go to step in front of him. "I am going to go into the house."

"Wait, what if you get hurt?" Matthew grabbed his jacket sleeve. "We will both go in. Together. If it is a stranger, we can take him on two on one."

Ivan's serious expression melted. "I like that way of thinking!"

" _Matthieu?_ Is that you I 'ear out there?" Both froze before the door way as a wispy voice drifted from the direction of the kitchen, " _Mon Dieu,_ close that door, boy! There is a harsh draft coming inside the 'ouse!"

"Mattie, is that person talking to-" Ivan gasped when the teen pushed by him into the house. "Mattie, wait!"

Matthew clutched onto the doorway between the entrance and kitchen to gawk at the newcomer. "Papa!" He called out, slammed his cup of cooling cocoa on the island counter, and bounded forward to throw his arms around new company.

" _Matthieu!"_ Matthew's father cried out, returning the embrace with equal vigor. "There is one of my boys! I swear, you and your brother grow taller every time I see you."

They let go of each other with silly smiles plastered on their faces. Matthew asked, "Have you seen Alfred?"

"No, he was not 'ome when I came back just an hour ago. I wanted to surprise you two, but imagine my disdain when I come 'ome and neither of you are 'ere!"

Matthew's eyebrows furrowed together. "Alfred is not here? He said he was going to be home all day."

His father swished a hand. "You do not need to fret, _cher,_ Alfred will return by dinner. He never misses a meal."

"I would hope so."

"Besides, I need to have a long talk with 'im about that phone call from the Saint's Medical Center, so he must return. 'onestly, I am going to go gray because of 'im, and I am not even over the hill yet!"

Matthew laughed uneasily, "Yeah, you will need to talk to Alfred about that."

His father turned and stiffened, staring at the doorway. " _Matthieu,_ did you forget to introduce someone to me?" Matthew followed his gaze. Ivan was peeking into the bright room, his eyes flickering back and forth between them.

"Mattie, I would like to talk to you."

"Uh," Matthew glanced at his father, who raised an eyebrow as a small smile spread across his stubbly face. "One moment, Papa." He zipped across the kitchen, and stepped into the hallway, away from prying eyes. The door was still wide open, and the warm air was seizing the opportunity to escape, so he lunged forward and closed it.

Ivan hissed behind him, "Who is that? I assume humans do not usually embrace burglars."

"No, no, at least I hope they don't!" Matthew lightly chuckled and turned to face him. "It's my dad."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes!" Matthew said as if the possibility was ridiculous. He stepped forward, tugging on Ivan's sleeve. "Come on and meet him. My father is a great guy."

"Why does he call you m-mah-two?"

" _Matthieu?_ That's my actual name. Mattie is just a nick name."

"Who is Nick?"

"Huh? Nobody...just...call me Mattie or Matthew. Whatever, really."

Ivan swatted at the melting snow clumped on his head. "Matthew. That is nice. It comes out soft, which is fitting."

"Uh, thanks. My dad gave it to me. Speaking of which, let's go. I think we have left him waiting for long enough." Matthew nudged him in the direction of the kitchen. "Hey, Papa, we're back."

Matthew's father spun around from standing before a few pots on the stove and winked. "Finished plotting? What 'ave you caught there, _Matthieu?"_

Matthew meekly nodded, and held a hand out toward his company. "Papa, this is Ivan," he looked up at the man. "Ivan, this is my father."

"Ah, hello, Matthew's father."

The strange man his son brought with him seemed like he was trying to hide behind Matthew's back, which somehow delighted his father. "Please, call me Francis, and sit, sit! You two look like you have been caught in the snow storm. I am warming up milk for cocoa for you while the stew is simmering, and I discarded your old cup. It was cold!"

"That's what we came in for," Matthew said, towing Ivan to the barstools behind the counter that jutted from the furthest wall. "Hear that, Ivan? You'll be getting more hot chocolate, and it's free this time."

Ivan perked up from giving Francis curious glances as he wiggled on his perch. "I forget where I put my empty cup. I think I dropped it somewhere."

"Don't worry about it." Matthew assured, and curiously watched his company's face color a strong pink.

Matthew's father peeked at his son from the corner of his eye, almost inaudibly chuckling to himself. As he grabbed two mugs, he called out, "Do you go to the same school as my boy?"

"Who me?" Ivan tucked his chin into his scarf and nodded.

Francis chuckled even more. "You know, you seem to be a little...more mature than someone that goes to 'igh school."

Ivan hesitated, flickering his eyes at Matthew for a quick plea of help. "I hear that more times than I wish to say." His hand on his leg clenched into a fist, the skin over his knuckles turning white with the strain. Matthew hesitated to lightly pat the back of Ivan's hand in reassurance, but it did not seem to help matters as Francis placed two mugs onto the counter.

As he turned away to dig in the refrigerator, Matthew hissed, "What are you spazzing out about?"

"It is so strange, just entering here like it is my own house. Is that why your father is looking at me like I am something to devour?"

"You're a guest," Matthew pointed out, "and that's just his face. It's all right. Just don't freak out about anything."

"If you insist. I will try my best."

Matthew's father took a seat at the island counter after a bout of stirring of the stew on the stove top, smiling despite the whispers. "It is nice to know my son has been making friends while I was gone. I cannot say the same."

"That bad?" When Matthew went to grasp his mug, Ivan's fingers grabbed his, smiling a bit as he coughed on his cocoa.

Francis put his palm to his forehead dramatically, groaning, "Germans! Never 'ave I met women more stubborn than an ant stuck in molasses!"

Matthew asked, "Did they like your book at least?"

"Of course!" Francis flicked his golden hair over his shoulder. "Stubborn or not, they do 'ave good tastes."

"Tastes good," Ivan murmured, as if to his hot chocolate. Matthew beamed as he watched him tip his cup back.

"How long you two known each other?"

Ivan glanced at Matthew worryingly, and the latter weakly replied, "A while."

One of Francis' eyebrows raised, unimpressed. " _A while_ can mean very different things to different people."

Neither of them said anything, opting to loudly sip on their warm drinks. Francis sighed with a smile. "Will you tell me 'ow you met?"

Another desperate look passed between his son and the disguised being next to him. "School," Matthew nodded, turning to his father. "We met in school."

"Oh?" Francis smirked, tilting his head the slightest way. His son bit the inside of his cheek. His dad seemed to always have a knowing look, drawing out more from people than they would usually say. "You just...bumped into each other like that?"

"Actually, yeah," Matthew snickered, glancing to the side. Ivan was staring, too, although his head tilted as if he was wondering about something else.

Finally satisfied, Francis slid out of his chair and checked on the stew. The front door swung open and closed loudly with a round of cackles. "As I said, Alfred always comes back in time for dinner," he boasted, taking the pot from its burner, and flicked off the stove.

"...so they're all booing at him, and all of a sudden the dude bursts into flames. I kind of wanted to cry at this point..." Alfred sauntered into the kitchen, and stopped right in the middle of the doorway with his mouth popped open. His shadow, Arthur, bumped into him with his sudden stop and frowned. "Dad!"

Francis turned around in time for Alfred to throw his arms around him. "There you- _gah_!" He cried out when his son swept him into the air and spun around. "Easy there!" He lightly scolded once he was roughly set down. Matthew laughed at the nostalgic scene.

Alfred lifted the lid of the pot and took a deep inhale. "It smells so good!" Francis smacked his hand, and the boy yelped, quickly retracting with a wide smile. He glanced at his brother and the man seated next to him. "Hey, you're that dude Matthew was talking about!"

"Al!" Matthew sputtered, cheeks growing hot.

Ivan only let out a weak grunt, keeping his gaze on the counter.

"Artie!" Alfred beckoned with a fast swish of his hand to the man peering in the room. "Come in and meet my pops!"

Francis turned around in surprise. _"Quoi?_ Both my boys brought guests over? It is good that I made more stew than I was supposed to."

Arthur glided up to the island counter, eying the inhabitants with a guarded scowl. Alfred patted the stool next to him. "Sit down! We're having stew for dinner!" He pumped a fist in the air. "Stew!"

"Pipe down," Arthur warned. "It is...homey to be here for a meal."

Suddenly, Francis whirled on him, grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips. "The pleasure is all mine."

Alfred and Matthew groaned simultaneously at the usual initiation. Ivan slowly lifted his eyes to gawk at Arthur, who yanked his arm away from Francis with a disturbed expression. "Err, you are welcome? Now, if you so kindly not mind..."

"Dad," the younger twin waved his arms out from his sides, "really?"

Ivan made a low noise of distress, and his grip on Matthew's hand tightened considerably. Matthew took a glimpse in his direction, and ran his thumb across the back of Ivan's hand. Francis chuckled as he began scooping the stew into five bowls. "You know 'ow it goes."

"How long are you staying home this time?"

"Are you rushing to get rid of me?" The boys' father feinted hurt with a hand to his chest after setting two bowls in front of Alfred and his friend.

"Not at all, Pops, it's just that I'm wondering how long I have to enjoy good food until I have to go back to boxed dinners."

"Boxed dinners?!" Francis blanched in great horror. He began handing out the bowls to everyone with a disproving shake of the head. _"Matthieu!_ Do you not take any control of the grocery funds?"

"I try, papa," Matthew weakly replied, worrying for his fingers going numb from the death grip, and tried to eat with his non-dominant hand. He glanced over to Ivan when he cleared his throat, and noticed how unusually pale his lips were. "Hey, are you feeling all right?"

"Would you like for me to be honest?"

"Tsk, I leave for a little over a month and you choose to eat radioactive Tupperware!" Francis unknowingly and almost spoke over Ivan's sickly murmur. "People will begin to think I do not look after my boys!" He roughly planted a kiss to Alfred's forehead, who only acknowledged him with a grunt, not taking a pause from devouring his stew until his bowl was empty.

Ivan whispered, "Matthew, I...I need to...excuse me." He suddenly shot from the stool and hurried out of the kitchen. He glanced down the hall, turned right, and there was a slam from the bathroom door behind the stairs.

Francis looked to Matthew in obvious worry and surprise, but Alfred managed first, "What's with him?"

"I...I'm not sure. I'll go check on him. Eat your stew." Matthew spun around on his stool and hopped off, feeling three pairs of eyes on his back as he followed the man's footsteps. He crept close to the door, but did not hear anything from the other side. The light was not even on from beneath the panel. He decided to lightly knock on the wood. "Ivan?" He did not want to ask him if he was all right, because that would be a stupid question. "What's wrong?"

It was awfully silent for a few breaths until Ivan mumbled, "I am 'freaking out,' even though you told me not to!"

Matthew rested a palm against the door, "Can I come in, please?"

"Are the others out there?"

He glanced down the hall, listening to quiet voices over dinner. "No, they're still in the kitchen."

Ivan let out a loud sigh, "Just you."

Matthew slowly opened the door, and slipped a hand against the wall to turn on the light. The bathroom's occupant screwed his eyes up to the ceiling lamp and blinked rapidly from his seat on the floor beside the toilet. Matthew knelt down, and almost reached out to press his hand to Ivan's forehead, but then retracted. "What did you freak out about?"

Ivan uneasily smiled despite his malady. Keeping his voice in a low hiss, "It feels as if somebody shoved their claws up my nose! Something...something about him makes me feel like I am suffocating underneath my cloak. It never felt this way until he walked in here! Even disguised...it _stinks!_ I do not know how to describe it!"

Matthew took a long inhale, not sure what to say. _I don't think Arthur smells...not that I was trying to sniff him._ He rose to his feet, and turned on the cold sink faucet. "Here, splash some water on your face. It'll clear your head." He held out his other hand to help his company to his feet, which he did with a big grunt. He then backed away out of mannerism as Ivan uncertainly prodded the running water before scooping some in his hands and scrubbing at his cheeks.

While he was doing that, Matthew peeked outside the small bathroom to check for any eavesdroppers. When the hall still remained clear, he slowly closed the door again so it would not make a noise. "So, um...since you're a demon and all, that means there's angels out there, too, right?"

Ivan picked up his head from the basin, and patted around the sink to turn off the current. "Of course, Matthew. Ah, I forgotten, it is not as obvious to your kind as it is to me." He smiled legitimately when the boy guided a towel to his hands. "They are around too much, and there are too many of them creeping around the surface for any of us to linger even for a moment without risking our wings. I admit, they may be humble other times, but they do take their jobs seriously."

"So...Arthur is...?"

"If that is the one your brother brought along, yes."

Matthew gulped. "Oh. Does Al know?"

Ivan patted the last of the water from his chin, although there was nothing to be done about the splotches on his scarf. "I am not certain. Sometimes, angels tell humans about themselves, and others do not. For what, I do not know...yet, but if you talk to your brother about it, and he does not know, it is risking my safety and his own, so you should watch what you tell him, okay?"

"That's what I was thinking!" Matthew exclaimed, and put a hand over his mouth. "That's why I didn't bring it up to him. Just in case."

Alas, the man was grinning again, and the paleness washed away from his cheeks. "That is very smart of you. I have come to realize how disappointing it would be if you were against me."

"I don't aim to disappoint!"

"Very good!"

Matthew dropped his eyes to the bathroom floor tiles with his own dumb smile. "Do you think you want to try to go back to the kitchen? We haven't eaten any stew yet."

"I cannot avoid your family forever, even if the angel will not go away."

"Hm, maybe you can sniff the stew instead? It could override any...um, angel scent."

"Sniff the stew! That is very specific advice to the situation, but also very great. Yes, let us go sniff stew."

Matthew followed him out of the bathroom, dissenting, "Don't make it obvious!"

Of course everyone turned around and stared when they entered the kitchen. Francis asked, "Is everything all right?"

Ivan nonchalantly put a hand over his nose as he made a bee-line for the pot of stew on the stove, so Matthew had to come up with something. "Uh, yeah. He just..." he gestured wildly with his hand, and Arthur raised a grand eyebrow from his perch, which made possible excuses run away even faster. "Whatever it was, some warm stew will help."

"Oh yeah!" Alfred hopped from his chair to get more. "You better get some while you can, because I already had like, five bowls."

Ivan leaned away from him as he came closer, but keenly observed, "You must be very hungry, then."

Alfred cracked a grin, but Francis announced before he could say anything, "Ah, but he is always 'ungry."

"Dad! Ha-ha, it's true!"

"Do not worry, though. I made enough for everyone to have seconds, thirds, and even forths!"

Matthew's stomach rumbled with anticipation at the thought. He joined the congregation around the stove, watching Ivan spoon up some broth, then dump it back in the pot with amusement for a few scoops before Matthew gave his elbow a nudge. His company turned around, making the bowl seem like a cup in his palm, but his smile broke into a gasp and suddenly dropped the dish at Arthur's sudden appearance behind him.

The ceramic immediately busted into many shards and skittered on the previously white wooden floor. Francis leaped from his seat with a high cry. Stew had splattered everyone's shoes, and the twins just looked down at the mess, grumbling about who was going to clean it up. Arthur did not take his eyes off of Ivan. "Did I give you a fright?"

Alfred scoffed, "Give him a fright? Dude..."

Ivan vehemently shook his head, his face inflaming pink as Matthew gawked between him and Arthur. "No, it just slipped." He held out an outstretched palm. "My hand has broth on it, and I must have not been holding it enough."

"Oh, my Lord," Arthur put in with a little _tisk._ He took a step away as the Bonnefoys knelt down to pick up the shards. "Do be careful next time." As Ivan made an attempt at a quick getaway from the kitchen, he muttered, "Clumsy oaf," under his breath.

Matthew sprung up from discarding chunks of ceramic in the trash. "Did he just run off again? Ugh, Ivan!"

This time, the bathroom door was locked, so he had to feebly knock on it. A pitiful laugh snuck through the other side. "I messed up twice today! This...this human gig is much harder than it looks. I feel so unnatural and unbalanced, and these hands...! How do you get anything done without claws to keep a firm hold on your life?"

Matthew tossed a quick look down the hall, and hovered closer to the door, although nobody was present. "Hey, look, I know this is a new thing to you, but you shouldn't give up right away because you had an accident...or two. If it's you-know-who that's making you anxious, then we can avoid him. At least until you get a better grip on things."

"Will you help me with that, Matthew?"

"Of course you...you crazy demon."


	11. Stop Stealing My Pancakes, Dammit

Francis and Alfred had cleaned up the kitchen while Matthew tried to console a demon that locked himself in the bathroom. The pot of stew was left on the stove, and the boys' father had reminded him to tell his friend to grab his bowl with two hands for the next one before retiring upstairs to his office. His brother could be heard trying to impress Arthur with his video game prowess in the living room, but it was quiet between them for a moment.

Once two new bowls of stew were ready, Ivan surprised Matthew by asking, "Can we go outside with these?"

"I thought you did not like the cold."

"This stew will warm me, and besides, a frozen Hell would be more pleasant than an angel's scent."

Matthew was more than fine to sit outside in the middle of the winter, as long as it was not too windy. The both of them snuck pass the living room doorway, and he quietly closed the front door behind himself as if nobody inside would bother them since he did. They settled on the first stair, overlooking the front yard stretching to the street, and the winter did not seem as frosty at that moment.

Ivan seemed to struggle a bit with handling a spoon, and he choked on the stew, not because he forgot to chew properly, but in surprise. "Your father made this?"

"Yeah, it's one of the best things about him coming home. Well, besides seeing him doing fine of course. Do you like it?"

"I like it? Matthew, what if I said this is the warmest and freshest food I had since I came here?"

"You what? But you've been around for almost two weeks now!"

"Yes, and I am _very_ hungry. Would you mind if I went back for seconds, thirds and forths?"

Matthew was at lost for words from his looming disbelief, but gave his head a shake when he realized his mouth was hanging open. "Yeah, go ahead. My dad will take that as a good sign." He gazed distantly at the stretch of dead grass in front of him as the front door loudly shut. "What am I going to do with you? Though, I sort of asked for this, didn't I?"

The boy quietly laughed to himself, but piped down when a gust of warm air blasted his back as the front door swung open. His brother's voice broke the peaceful atmosphere, "Isn't it cold out there?!"

"Yes," Ivan pointedly retorted in that semi-sweet, borderline tipping-point tone, "but it is quiet!" With that said, he slammed the door once more, and flopped beside Matthew in a noisy thump. However, instead of carrying out a new bowlful of stew, he brought the entire pot outside, and eagerly dug in the leftovers without an explanation.

Matthew felt himself stupidly gawk again, all for good reasons. "Um...I know Papa said that you could...you..." Ivan only paused in his viscous chowing for a split-second side glance that stopped his poor suggestion in its tracks. He keenly observed, "That's still a lot of stew. Are you seriously going to eat it all?"

"I said that-" _Chomp!_ "I am very hungry!"

"Wow." Matthew turned his attention back to the front yard, but his expression morphed into a bright smile from the saneness of it all. "Demonic appetite, am I right?"

Ivan's chewing slowed in confusion. "Yes?"

Matthew snickered into his fist, which only made him more confused at the missed joke. In just a few minutes, his company managed to clean the entire pot, and set it on the porch to put a hand to his stomach. He let out a content sigh and complimentary pat, and was asked, "That good?"

"Good puts it very lightly." Ivan dug at his clanky boots to kick them into the grass and further max out his comfort, as much as he could with the cold biting any exposed skin. "Then again, garbage is like fresh meat when you are almost ravenous."

"And we can't have a hungry, hungry demon on our hands, can we?" Matthew leaned forward to prop his chin on his knees. _I wonder if we had just avoided a great disaster via large pot of stew._

Once his other shoe was abandonned, Ivan wiggled his toes. "Ah, that feels nice to get those off."

Matthew glanced down to the man's bare feet, only to exclaim in shock at the large, angry welts decorating his pale skin. "What's wrong with your feet?" He blurted, then flinched. "Sorry, that came out rather bluntly. Are your shoes too small?"

"They may have been. I could not find any footwear to fit my feet. Humans have small shoes."

"We gotta do something about these blisters!" Matthew scrambled to stand, and grabbed the dirty pot from the porch. "Come on!"

"Must I? I just grew somewhat comfortable..."

"Ivan!"

Ivan let out a heavy sigh before he lifted himself to his sore feet, snatched his shoes, and hobbled into the warm house.

"Hey!" Alfred called from the living room couch, "Close the door!"

Arthur had also twisted around to gaze at the other man shuffle his footwear into one hand and give the door a good shove, which was enough for the hatch to click. Avoiding any eyes, he kept his head to the floor and went for the hallway's bathroom. It was sort of a new meet up spot of his.

However, Matthew breezed out of the kitchen after dropping off the stew pot, and whispered, "Upstairs."

"Hm?"

He only made a beckoning motion from the first stair before sprinting up the others. A narrow hall stretched to the other side of the house, but he ducked into a door about halfway though, which belong to a much roomier bathroom. "Hey," he pointed to the toilet lid, "have a seat while I look for ointment or something."

Relieved to rest his feet again, Ivan eagerly complied and wiggled against the cold porcelain. "This ointment will make the red marks go away, yes?"

"Eh, eventually." Matthew lightly tossed a bottle of hand lotion to him. "Try this. We don't really have anything for blisters specifically, but it'll make them sting less. Having socks will feel better, too. They won't make you feel all gross or sweaty, and they protect your feet from being rubbed raw from your boots."

Ivan tipped the bottle over in confusion before popping up the cap with a slight jump. "I hardly find any socks on the cloth lines, though."

"Clothes lines?"

"Yes! I find it very generous humans hang their clothing on lines for people who need them! I have not found anything that fits me comfortably yet. What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"I...you...you've been going into people's yards and taking their clothes?!"

"I put them back when I am done!" Ivan gave his feet a more vigorous rub. "Is that not the nice thing to do? Should I keep them?"

"No, you should not steal people's stuff!" Matthew spat. He sighed and put a hand to his forehead when Ivan let out a low grumble. "Sorry," he started in a softer voice. "There are shops full of clothes. If you buy them from there, you will never have to worry about returning them or getting caught stealing. They would be yours to keep, and they will fit you...if you get the right size."

Ivan's cheeky smile returned, and he resumed nursing his sores. "You will take me to these shops? I do not have a form of currency to get clothing through legal methods."

"I'm not exactly Mister Money Bags, so I probably have to ask my Dad for some cash. Wait, let me get you socks first, since you don't have any."

Ivan eagerly hobbled behind him after he left for his bedroom. "Can we go tonight?"

Matthew pushed open his door and pressed against the wall so his company could step into his room. "It's getting late, and stores do not stay open all night."

"Oh, I hope I get some new clothes soon. When I stop looking like a ragged quilt, call me 'cool,' okay?"

"Ha-ha, okay. You might have to remind me, though." Matthew patted Ivan's back, but snatched his hand away as he walked to his dresser. "Uh, let's get you something warm for your feet for now."

In a suddenly serious tone, Ivan spouted, "Thank you."

Matthew glanced in his direction, surprise all over his face. "O-of course!"

"By all means, you have been very kind, especially to someone...like me."

Matthew felt his insides turn into goo, but it was a warming, happy pile of goop. "Oh, why...I...well, you been acting like an ordinary person, so why treat you otherwise? It's nice to see people around me happy, and since you let me help you..." He shook his head to stop his ramble train before it could leave the station. "Oh, sorry, the socks."

Ivan neatly caught the clean garments. "No, it is...nice to hear you be passionate about something."

Matthew's brain decided to fly out the window, leaving behind two words, _Ah, fuck,_ and a nasty flush on his face to match his stammering, "Uh, thanks. You too? It's um...easy to get carried away at times."

Ivan tipped his head in amusement, and there may have been confusion in there as well.

"I need to...oh, right!" Matthew snapped his fingers, "I need to talk to my dad. Stay in here!"

Matthew's company only giggled in reply as he hurried out of the bedroom and made sure to close the door behind himself. He stuck a hand to his forehead and smacked it with his palm a few times before pushing away for his father's office just across the hall. "Papa, can I come in?"

" _Quoi_? Oh, of course, of course!" Francis looked up from hunching over his notebook at his desk, and warmly smiled at his son. "What is it you need, my boy?"

"I, ah, well, um...I kind of would like to borrow your card from you. I don't really have enough from the bookstore to buy some things from around town, and-"

"You sort of, or you do?"

"I-I do! It's for new clothes. I'll look for things on sale, and I won't break the card or lose it-"

His father held up a hand, and Matthew's shoulder's slouched. A playful smile crept onto Francis' face. "I do not need to 'ear things I already know."

His son let out a soft sigh of relief. "Papa..."

"As long as you do not go over twenty."

Matthew tried to look happy, but could feel it on his face that he failed miserably. "Twenty...dollars?"

His father scoffed and chuckled. "What kind of man do you take _ton père_ as? _Non,_ silly _Matthieu._ Twenty 'undred."

"Hundred?! Papa-"

Francis swished a hand, turning to the tattered notebook on his desk. "You should buy yourself a nice dinner for two, if that _friend_ of yours is tagging along." Matthew did not budge from his spot, so he gave him a confused look. "Do you think you are not allowed to indulge in life every now again when your brother can spend his allowence on candy and games?"

"I guess I never thought of it that way."

"Think like that no more," Francis told him with a wink. "I will give you my debit card after breakfast tomorrow. I will be making your favorite."

"Really?" Matthew gasped excitedly. He cleared his throat and nodded, growing embarrassed as he turned to the door. "Thanks, Papa. I mean it."

"Oh, and _Matthieu_?"

"Yeah?"

"It is getting rather late. I am sure your friend's family will be worried if he is out at this time."

Matthew smiled uneasily at his father's ignorance. "Of course, Papa. I'll tell him." He quietly closed the door, and a broad grin broke across his face before he sprinted down the carpeted hall on his toes. He swung his bedroom door open and shut it before turning on the light. A pair of purple eyes looked up in surprise from atop of his bed. "Hey! I'm back!"

"Hello again!"

"Yeah, but my dad says you should go home."

Ivan made a grunt of dissent as he slouched onto the mattress. "My home is so far from here. I would go back to Hell, just to return a few hours when morning comes. Must you send me away?"

"Does it take long to..." Matthew tried not to snicker, "to go to Hell?"

Ivan gave him a vaguely confused look. "If I do not get lost in the sewers, yes. Speaking of which, I do not want to get _that_ smell in my head anytime soon again."

"Sewers?" When Ivan did not acknowledge his little question, Matthew asked, "Isn't there any place you can stay on the surface for the night?"

"Yes," Ivan rolled lazily to his other side, his face to the wall.

Matthew pushed off the door. "Then you should go. It's getting late, and the morning comes too quickly."

"No need," his company glanced over his shoulder, and a wide smile raised his cheeks. "I am already there."

The air was filled with Matthew's sharp intake of breath. "No, no, no. You can't stay here. What if my dad comes in-"

"What business does your father have in your private chambers? That is...weird."

"To you!" Matthew retorted. "And don't call my bedroom 'private chambers,' _that_ is weird. Where would you expect to sleep?"

Ivan flipped over with a great heave and patted the mattress.

"Um...that's my bed."

He patted the bed again with more force, and narrowed his eyes. "Yes, it is."

"I was planning on sleeping on it."

"Where would I sleep, then? On the floor like a wanderer?"

"I could get blankets and lay them out, so it's not uncomfortable."

Ivan easily countered, "We could be comfortable on your bed."

"It's too small for two people."

"What do you mean? It is not _that_ small, if you do not spread out."

"One of us would be on top of the other!"

"Ah, you say that like it is a bad thing. When it is dark outside, it grows very cold, but we could both be warm..."

 _Oh God, no!_ A tiny voice called out in front of Matthew's concious thoughts, ... _Oh god, yes._ His voice did a funny jump from the squeezing sensation in his chest, "How about we both sleep on the floor? Then we can both use whatever spare blankets we have, _and_ the ones on my bed."

Ivan lifted his head from its slump against a pillow. "You know how to make a good compromise! Yes, let us leave your bed empty for tonight. Where are these...spares you have?"

"I'll go get them. Can you take everything off my bed and put it on the floor?"

Both went to work, and as Matthew dug out sheets and comforters from the linen closet in the upstairs bathroom, he realized he was having his first sleepover since...he could not remember, so it was too long!

When he snuck out of the bathroom, Ivan exclaimed, "You are back!"

"Hush! You're not supposed to be here."

"Ah, okay, I have to be very hush-hush."

Matthew quietly laughed as he plopped his collection next to the thick blanket spread across his bedroom floor, and began adding layers. Once most of the sheets went for a mattress, both settled into their assigned piles, he let out an uncontrollable peel of giggles.

His company picked up his head and drawled, "Yes?"

"This reminds me what Alfred and I used to do. Whenever Dad was working overseas, and our caretaker was sleeping downstairs, we used to either sleep in our his bed, or go into one another's rooms and make piles of blankets and pillows on the floor."

"Are you two that close now?"

"I would like to say yes! No matter what happens, we're always there for one another."

Ivan studied his bedmate's face through the darkness for a moment before putting in, "When I was small, and there was...when I could not sleep, I used to go to my sister's room to sleep in her bed with her as well."

"Oh! You have a sister? Is she like you?"

"I have two, and yes, they are demons, if that is what you are asking."

" _Two_ sisters? Wow, I can hardly handle my single brother at times!"

"Hu-hu, yes, it is as bad as you imagine."

Their hush-policy snuck away from the pile of whispering blankets as they excitedly blabbered about anything they could think of and laugh during the late night. From recollecting what they remembered about the day they met (which was not much on both their parts) to the cold weather, Matthew wound up closing his eyes during Ivan's musing of the 'pretty sunset' and never opened them again that night.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew woke up on his bedroom floor, which was an unpleasant surprise for a split second or two as he registered his surroundings. He patted the carpet around his pillow for his glasses, but gave up the half-hearted search to turn to his other side, but through the blurriness he could make out another person laying beside him, head propped up by his elbow.

He rubbed his face, and grumbled, "Too early," before sucumbing to the blankets again.

"You are going back to sleep?"

"Five minutes."

"Okie dokie, Matthew. Sleep for five minutes."

After what seemed like a moment of silence, the blankets were torn from his body.

"Gah!" Matthew snapped up, grabbed his pillow, and threw it at his attacker's face. "Seriously, Al, what did I tell you about waking me up like that?"

"Your brother is on the lower floor," Ivan told him, turning the offending pillow over experimentally as the teen resumed his hunt for his glasses.

"Right," Matthew croaked, and his vision focused when he put his lenses in front of his face. His company was cradling a now empty bottle of alcohol against his chest, and set the pillow on the floor. "Ivan, where did you get that?"

"I found a whole stock of vodka and wine in the cabinet above the cold box! This one was almost empty when I took it, so maybe no one will notice it disappeared!"

"Cold box?" Matthew slouched onto the makeshift bed again, weak against the pull of sleep that was still cutching onto him. "You took from my dad's stash?"

"This was your father's drink? It was not for the whole family?" When Matthew did not reply, Ivan set the empty bottle behind himself, and tugged on his shirt sleeve. "Put that aside and smile! I am going to own new clothes today! Ones that fit! Yay!"

"Hm, yes, really exciting."

"Matthew?"

"Stop shaking me," Matthew feebly protested, and pushed Ivan away with the arm he was not latched onto. "I hate waking up."

"You need to wake up to do things."

Matthew sighed, and crawled a little ways from his company, loathing the morning light beaming through the curtains. "Five minutes."

"Again? You just had five minutes. You are awake now, so why do you need more minutes?" A loud gurgle sounded from behind him. Ivan put a hand to his stomach, and announced, "All that sleep made me hungry."

When his calls were not answered, a sudden and heavy weight lay on top of Matthew's back. He gasped, as much as he could get an intake of air as he was pressed into the floor, and demanded, "What are you doing?!"

"Peacefully protesting. Are we going to eat?"

"But it's the weekend...I wanted to sleep in," Matthew's face grew hot against his pillow when Ivan stirred on his back and made himself more comfortable. "I can't get you food if you're going to do that!"

"A tempting offer, but I may need five minutes all of a sudden, too..."

"Hey! Are you literally going to fall alseep on me?"

Of course, at that wonderfully timed moment, Alfred shoved his brother's door open and bellowed, "Mattie! Dad made pancakes!" He cut off, gaping at the pile of blankets and people on the floor. "Oh, you...uh, I didn't know...uh, pancakes, dude!"

With that out, Alfred swung the door shut, and it loudly vibrated against the hinges, but a strong silence fell right after. At least until Ivan echoed, "Pancakes?"

"Yeah, you'll see...as soon as you let me get up."

"You are truly going to get up now?"

"That depends. Are you going to let me?"

"I would not any other time, but," Ivan rolled back to his side of the mess of blankets, "I would like something to eat now."

Matthew picked up his head and glanced around at his sudden freedom, despite the admitably comfort of heat against his back. He clumsily shambled to his feet, and hurried to the door. "All right, your highness. Stay here."

The scent of breakfast coaxed him closer as he thunked down the stairs. Alfred was sitting at the island counter, fork and knife in hand, braced for the second batch of pancakes their father was in the middle of flipping. He was even bouncing and chanting, "Pan. Cakes. Pan. Cakes." When his brother walked up to the counter, his singing grew into "Mattie! Mattie! Mattie!"

Matthew said, "It's too early and you're being too loud."

Francis looked over his shoulder and smiled at his other son. "I could 'ave not said it better myself." When he set a new plate of fresh pancakes on the counter, Alfred leaped from his stool, but their dad swatted his spatula at him. "For Matthew. You had your first batch already."

Alfred grumbled to himself, "Aw, come on," and flopped back into his seat with his arms drooped over the counter. Matthew had to bite his tongue so he would not snicker, and made his way out of the kitchen. Just as he passed the doorway, his brother's voice called out, "Hey, where are you taking those?"

"Upstairs? I'm doing stuff later, so I'm not spending all morning downstairs over breakfast."

"Oh? What about that guy-"

"I'm going now!"

Matthew darted up the stairs with his larger-than-usual stack of pancakes, and the normal amount was impressive in itself. He closed his bedroom door loudly, telling his family to not disturb him before summoning, "Ivan, you're hungry? Come get something to eat."

Ivan emerged from the bathroom, eyes on the plate in curiousity. "Is that the food?"

"Yep. Come and eat."

Ivan inhaled deeply, and asked, "What are these things?" He snatched one from the pile and shoved it into his mouth without waiting for an answer.

"Hey!" Matthew stepped away from the syrup dripping onto the floor and set the plate onto his dresser. "These are pancakes. They're, um, it's food, and my dad made them, so they're good. Not that I have to tell you that." He held out two forks, staring at Ivan grabbing another pancake to eagerly engulf it, so he set the uneeded utensil on the wood. "I guess you don't need a fork then, eh?"

" _Mmph_ , these are the best thing I have yet to eat. What did you call them?"

"Pancakes."

"Pancakes!" Ivan held one up, smiling at it in wonder.

"You're getting syrup on my carpet! That stuff stains!" Matthew went to snatch the messy pancake away, but Ivan growled, jerked back, and shoved the whole thing in his mouth. He took another pancake when the teen shook his head and reached for his own. "I haven't even gotten one yet. How many did you just eat? Three?"

"Four," Ivan grimaced. "I am hungry! The only thing I have in my stomachs is stew and hot chocolate!"

Matthew skewer a piece of pancake, but stopped to do a double take. "Did you say stomachs? As in, more than one?"

"That seems odd to you," Ivan noted, and pilfered a piece of pancake. "Do humans not have two stomachs?"

"No, that's weird!"

"Humans are weird!"

"What's next?" Matthew chided, quickly piercing a chunk of his food before Ivan could take it. "Two hearts? Five kidneys? Eleven toes?"

"Matthew, that is not very nice. You have already seen my feet."

"Speaking of which, are they okay?"

"Oh, yes. These socks keep my toes from turning frightening colors from the cold," Ivan perked up when Matthew turned away from the now empty plate. "Are you finished? Are we going to do the shopping now?!"

"Hush, hush! After I get dressed and get the money from my dad we will leave. Or, I will leave, and we will meet up somewhere."

"Why can we not leave together?"

"What would I say to my family if they saw you come downstairs with me, when they didn't even see you come inside?" Matthew dug in his dresser for a bit, pulling out clothes and something extra. He slapped the candy bar to Ivan's chest. "Here, if you are still hungry, but you should leave now. The longer you stay, there's a greater chance of my dad or Alfred finding you out. I'll see you later."

"C-c-choh...?"

"Chocolate."

"Chocolate," Ivan murmured with a itty bitty smile. He craddled the bar in his hands as if it were a precious gift. "Matthew gave me chalk-oh-lat, so it must be good."

"Goodbye, Ivan," Matthew called out urgently before closing the bathroom door. He locked himself in from a skittish inward thought of the man opening the door for some crazy reason. He listened, hovering by the exit, and heard the window creak open. A distant thump followed by an "Ow," drifted through the walls. He considered buying a helmet, though not necessarily for his own safety.


	12. Chapter 11

"You are saying that I can eat _anything?"_

"As in 'all you can eat?' Yes," Matthew swished a hand in dismissal, going to fill his own platter of food. "But don't just dig in there with your hands!" he called out as Ivan immediately zipped off toward a fountain of running chocolate. The buffet was the only idea Matthew came up with to satisfy the appetite that his companion hinted he had, and for himself, as most of his breakfast was stolen underneath his fingertips.

Matthew was nearly finished with his first plate, and glanced worryingly around the restaurant, wondering where Ivan was. At first he thought that the man forgot where they had chosen to sit until he saw him lumber into view, and the amount of food on his plate made the tallest mountains look like ant hills.

Of course Ivan looked pleased with the mess, plopping into the bench across from Matthew, and grabbed the closest thing on top- a chunk of steak covered in chocolate. "Mmm! Juicy!" He announced, causing liquid to fly out of his mouth and onto the table.

Matthew flinched, and pulled his plate away to stare in horror. His company ate as if he simply peeled the flesh off of the cow it came from and practically slurped it. "Is that how they normally... _enjoy_ their food in Hell?"

Ivan choked on a large chomp of his whole potato. "What do you mean by that?"

Matthew pushed a clean fork in his direction. "Well, to be honest, you are eating like a toddler discovering how to feed himself." Despite that, he laughed. "Also, chocolate covered steaks? Doesn't that taste a bit weird?"

"Are you not supposed to put chalk-oh-lat on meat? What happens if I do?"

"It's...never mind, if you like it, then don't worry about it, but for goodness sake, Ivan, use a fork in your life! Or a napkin!"

Ivan let out a sharp exhale through his nose, and grasped a utensil in his fist. "It is so much easier eating with your hands."

"Also so much messier. Here, let me help you with that," Matthew reached over and plucked the fork from Ivan's hand, uncurled his fingers and positioned them around the metal. "Better?"

Ivan had that look of deep curiosity again as he pulled away. "Yes, I can do it."

Matthew took a sniff, and shook his head when he realized he was dutifully watching instead of eating his own food. After nine, yes nine, nine plates of food mountains later, he asked, "Are you finally done?"

Ivan looked bewildered by the question with hands on his stomach and a deep tip of his head. "Are you pulling legs?"

"There's no way you can continue eating, unless your stomach explodes!"

He giggled, and then stifled a burp. "Which one?"

"Both?"

"I only had three slices of apple pie!"

"Oh, of course," Matthew agreed. "Only three."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The state of Ivan's feet could not stay ignored, so the next stop was a small shoe department. Matthew sat on one of the seats in the middle of a narrow aisle, casually browsing his phone as his company tugged boxes out of the shelf to ogle at the insides. He had not realized Ivan slipped away until he returned in front of him, holding a hot pink box. He looked up and smiled. "Find something you want?"

Ivan nodded and handed him the box. "You will buy me these?"

Matthew lifted the lid before he would give an answer. His shoulders slouched when he gazed down at the bright red footwear. "Um, Ivan? These are high heels."

"They look stunning."

"They are for women."

"What do you mean? What happens if a man wears them?"

Matthew lightly cleared his throat, trying his best not to bust into laughter. "Um, men and women have different size feet, so they measure differently, and those would be very small-"

"Oh! Then I will look for a bigger number!" Ivan snatched the box from Matthew's hands, and was already in the next aisle before he could argue.

 _Is he serious?_ When Ivan came back with another box, Matthew realized he had to stop second guessing his decisions. "Could you put them on?"

"They are bigger. They should fit."

"Let's see how they look, eh?"

"They look dangerous, but in a nice way." Still, Ivan lifted the lid to carelessly drop it on the floor for the heels within. Also tossing the box aside, he swamped his current clunky shoes to squeeze his bruised feet into the shiny footwear. He straightened with a cheeky expression, which Matthew guessed meant he was supposed to eat his words. Instead, he lifted his phone to snap a picture. "What is that?"

"Nothing. Walk toward me."

Ivan's ankles wobbled, but he did not step forward.

A grin sprouted on Matthew's face. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Can you walk?"

"Yes."

"In the heels?"

Ivan hesitated. "I want them, though."

"Sure you do." Matthew shook his head. "Uh, but let's get something you can walk around in. Besides, the last thing you'd want to do is slip on ice...let alone in heels."

"You have something better in mind?"

"Actually, I do. Take off those cursed things, first."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Ivan? Where are you? I brought the clothes you wanted, hopefully in your size this time," Matthew called out, setting a large collection of cloth on one of the ottomans sprinkled throughout the clothing department. He gave the changing stall doors a push, but they both swung open, unoccupied. "Ivan!"

"They have little bows on them!"

Matthew stiffened, catching on that the times Ivan was left unattended meant he would run off to find more things he should not want. "Let's hope it's not a dog collar again," he muttered, rubbing his throat.

He found Ivan by the women's undergarment section, of all places, towering over the round racks that held all different kinds of strange looking brassieres. The man turned around and looked delighted when he spotted Matthew. He held up one, watching the garment bounce as he dangled it between his fingers.

"It is very nice and lacy!" Ivan claimed, and turned the cups over in his palms. "What is it?" He held the brassier in its correct position against his chest. "Is this a type of shirt?"

Matthew marched to him, snatched the brassiere out of his hands, hooked it onto the rack, and then towed him back to the changing stalls. "In there, please!"

"Oh, okay! Thank you, Matthew, but what about those bowl shirts?"

"It's for women only!" Matthew closed the door to the stall as soon as Ivan uncertainly stepped inside.

"Aw, why do women get all the pretty clothes?"

Matthew lingered outside until Ivan's current jacket hit the floor, and then decided to wait on one of the cushioned benches.

His cell phone rung, causing him to jump and attack his pockets for it. He let out a little sigh at the contact name on the screen and he pressed the answer symbol. "Hey, Papa."

" _Salut, Matthieu. Comment ça va?"_

"I'm fine, Papa. There's no need to worry."

"I am just checking on my favorite oldest child!"

"I'm your only oldest child!"

"Seriously, did any creeps try to get one on you? You don't need me to scoop out their eyes or anything?"

"And terrify me in the process?" Matthew breezily laughed. "No, that won't be necessary."

His father chuckled on the other end. "If you say so, _Matthieu._ Just stay safe. I would not trust anyone to _not_ snatch away my lone, 'andsome boy."

Matthew coughed, "Really, Papa." He looked up when the stall door opened, and Ivan uncertainly stepped out with an entire new outlook. "I don't think we need to worry about that..." He trailed off and felt a silly smile take over his face. Ivan held his arms out and spun around, giggling, and comfortable in clothes that fit him, inside and out.

 _"Matthieu!"_

"Ah, yes, Papa? Did you say something?"

"I did," Francis lightheartedly remarked. "I mean _anyone."_

"Y-yeah?"

Francis sighed from his son's distracted answers. "Oh, all right, I will let you go now. Watch out for strangers, and tell your friend-"

"Yep, bye!" Matthew jammed his phone in his jean's pocket. "Hey," he called out, "you look human."

"I think I feel like one, and not like a patched quilt!" Ivan bent and ran a hand down the beige coat hanging to his knees. "I feel fabulous!" He tilted his head when Matthew fell into a long peel of embarrassing giggles. "Did you forget?"

"Heh, heh...I'm sorry, did I forget what?"

"You are supposed to tell me I am cool now!"

"Oh! You look...you look very cool!"

" _Very_ cool?!" Ivan clamped a palm over his heart. "You flatter me, Matthew."

"You're welcome." Matthew stood from the ottoman to get a better glimpse at the new clothes. "Does that outfit pinch you anywhere it shouldn't pinch, or it is too-"

"It is perfect."

"Um, that's good." _You're supposed to be a demon from Hell! A big, scary demon from Hell! Why do you act so cute?!_ Matthew turned away to grab the other garments draped over the seat, and nonchalantly swiped the back of his hand across his warmed cheeks. "Let's see how the next ones fit."

After several outfits and mix matching for fun, he realized any girl in his school would get jealous over how well Ivan pulled off skinny jeans, as he was a little envious, too. He also realized that the man had no concept of money. If the fabric was soft and 'fabulous', he wanted it.

"Is that all for today?" The cashier asked, as if she were mocking them. Matthew died a little inside when the total was rung up. He was sure his father did, too, even if he did not know it yet. Ivan glanced over at the collection of brassieres once more.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Then, I realized that putting the floaties on my feet would not allow me to walk on water, but instead I buoyed myself upside down underwater and almost drowned until my dad plucked me out of the pool. That was the last time I went into the deep section until my fourteenth birthday."

"Hee-hee, floaties."

Matthew looked up from smiling at the sidewalk and realized he was on his front lawn. "Oh, we're here already." He stepped onto the porch and turned to Ivan before the door. "Are you coming inside?"

"That is a nice offer," Ivan quietly noted. "However, I think I should go now."

Matthew's smile faltered. "Oh? I suppose I kept you long enough. I hope you had fun."

"Yes! Lots of fun! It was like a free vacation..."

The wistful way Ivan was speaking made it sound like he was permanently leaving. Matthew's stomach flopped onto the wooden planks. "Ivan, are you going back to Hell...for good?"

Ivan tipped his head, unfamiliar with the phrase. "For good?"

"You're not coming back?"

Ivan's mouth pulled down for a moment before he erupted in a flurry of giggles. "You sound so sad! Do you not want me to leave?"

Matthew tried to keep his tone cool. "I...w-well, I wouldn't mind, to be honest." _Dammit._

His company grabbed one of his rosy cheeks to give it a pinch. "Good for you, because I am not leaving! Not yet at least. I will need to go back to Hell, but now that I know how to walk among your kind, and look the part, I am free to do so much whenever I please!"

"Huh? You're not...you're not going to do bad things, are you?!"

"Bad things?"

"Oh, you know, like dragging somebody into an alleyway to eat them?"

Ivan let go of his face to stare questionably. A smile immediately crushed his surprise, and his fingers danced into Matthew's hair. "Humans do not have nearly enough meat on their bones for my liking."

"So we're like a snack if you're really hungry?"

His hand retracted to slap his abdomen when he hunched over with wheezy laughter. "Matthew! No! That would be like hunting one of my own! Ha-ha, no," Ivan snapped up with a deep inhale, revealing his face to be plagued with strong color. "I would be sad if you were eaten!" He resumed to squeeze Matthew cheeks, despite the a small grumble from the rough attention, "Especially if I were the one doing the eating. Besides, why would I eat a person when I can eat chocolate and potatoes instead!"

The image of the combination made Matthew's stomach subtly quench. "Hey, if you're going to do that, can you do it more...gently, maybe?"

"Ah, do you bruise easily?" Another giggle, but the pinching lessened to the stroking of thumbs while his hands kept Matthew's face tipped upwards. Matthew never wanted to look at his feet more than he did then in his entire life. He trained his eyes on the roof of the porch instead. "I said I was not here to cause trouble, did I not?"

 _Is he really sure he isn't going to eat me? Because right now it seems like he's going-_ "N-no? I mean, no, you're not."

"Yes, so do not worry about me behaving myself, and I will not worry about you behaving yourself, okay?"

Matthew had to unleash a small snicker and clamped his hands on the back of Ivan's to wrestle him away from his face. " _I_ know how to behave myself."

That only invited Ivan to loom 'menacingly' closer and push back. "Are you trying to wound me?"

"That depends. What do you plan to do since you're wild and free?"

"I have some investigating to do!"

"Detective Ivan, huh? Are you going to bust out the cap and ol' tobacco pipe?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, but yes."

Matthew's forearms were starting to wobble from keeping Ivan from grabbing his cheeks again, but both parties were grinning ear to ear from the playful excertion. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"Perhaps I should have you snoop around for what I want. You are so inquisitive!"

"I hope you know I'm taking that as a compliment." Matthew took a gamble to move his hands from Ivan's palms and gave his chest a decent shove. Both stumbled backwards, and he laughed at his company's momentarily shocked (maybe impressed?) expression. "Woo, are you all right-"

His words were choked off as Ivan let out a delighted growl, and lunged forward to sweep him into an overbearing embrace and into the air. He grasped his new coat in an attempt to not fall as he was spun around like a rag doll.

"Hey, hey!" Matthew half-heartedly smacked at his shoulders to make Ivan let go without any success. Another push against his shoulders prompted him to laugh, muffled by his face pressed against the Matthew's sweatshirt, and his arms that were wrapped around his lower back and below his rear tightened their grip considerably. He gasped loud enough to embarrass himself, and was growing more hot and dizzy with each spin.

"R-really, Ivan! What if someone sees us?! The porch is in perfect viewing range from that kitchen window!" Much to Matthew's feign relief, his feet hit the porch, and he yanked down his hoodie that hitched up his stomach. He choked back another gasp when his company almost shoved his face into his with a closed smile that could have meant anything, as far as he was concerned. "Are you going now?"

That grin weakened slightly. "Yes. That was...what I was going to do."

"Oh. Then I guess you should get going then. I'm going to head inside."

Ivan did not budge. "Yes."

Matthew lightly sighed, and turned away for the front door, but Ivan grabbed the front pocket of his hoodie.

"Matthew, wait."

"Yeah?"

"I...I have learned many times over that I am not good with words, but I wanted to thank you."

"For the outing? It was fun! I hope you like your clothes."

"Uh, yes, I do. You are kind, Matthew, but very enthusiastic with the right things. I like the light your eyes hold." Without giving him a chance to say anything, even if he could manage, Ivan bent his head down to press his cheek to one of Matthew's, and gave his skin one last nestle. "When I come back from Hell, I will come back to you."

For Matthew, the attention was water in a desert. "Yeah," he agreed as if he had a choice, and greedily welcomed the prickles running down his stomach. Still, he had to form a coherent sentence. "I'd...yeah, that would be nice."

A soft gust of wind tickled his face, and his eyes flew open in surprise when Ivan was no where to be seen. Matthew took a stiff step back, glancing around the porch in alarm from how fast the atmosphere could turn cold. He noticed that even the bags were gone as he bounded down the steps and scanned the street.

"Ivan?" He called out, wondering if the whole ordeal was just imagination of his lonliness. Matthew tapped the pocket in which he put his father's credit card, and felt the plastic against the denim. He was certain that one side of his face was much warmer than the other. _Demons are sort of affectionate guys, aren't they?_

Matthew fidgeted for a few moments, staring out into the empty yard as his teeth worryingly gnawed his lower lip. He cleared his throat and mashed his eyebrows together in slight frustration. "Since when was he able to do _that?_ No, he just...disappeared!"

Not wanting to linger and shout to the darkening skies, Matthew turned for his house in a slight tizzy. A soft light ebbed from one of the upstairs windows, which brightened and dimmed like a fire. He stared at it for a puzzling moment and ran up to the porch, threw the door open and shoved it close behind himself as he sloppily sprinted up the steps.

Matthew slinked down the hall on his toes, closing on his brother's bedroom, where the light peeked out into the corridor from under the door. He eyed the rays, pressed against the wall, and slowly reached for the knob.

"Stupid, it's probably a night light or something," Matthew hissed under his breath, lunged forward and threw open the door. Then there was nothing, only the pressing darkness of approaching night. Just like Ivan, the light suddenly had vanished. He stood in the doorway, staring at the large lump on the bed that could only be Alfred. He felt himself lessen into a relaxed state from the tingly warmth in the air.

"Al?" Matthew softly called out. He hesitated in the doorway, waiting for his brother to reply, but he only heard light snores emitting from the huge bump on the bed. He pattered closer, gazing at the shape of Alfred wrapped like a burrito under the covers, wondering how he could achieve being tucked like that himself.

"Hey, Al, it's just after six. What are you doing in bed?" Matthew lighly prodded his brother's shoulder under the blanket, yet there was no evidence Alfred felt it in his deep slumber. "I'll leave you alone, if you aren't feeling well. Goodnight."

Matthew trudged back to the hallway, but glanced over his shoulder at the mound slighly rising and falling with Alfred's long breaths. He had hoped to talk to his brother, since both of them have been distracted for the past several days and did not have any 'sit down and real talk' in a while. Pressing his hand to his cheek again, he inwardly thought to himself that the next day was a new one.

* * *

 _Blehps:_

"No, Ivan, you are not wearing heels!"

"Yes I am! Look!" The man dropped the footwear on the ground and ripped off his current boots.

"No, no, don't do that!"

"Look, they fit! I had to find the largest size, though." Ivan performed a short cat like strut. "Am I 'fabulous?'"

Matthew had to admit to himself, he really did look fabulous.


	13. Chapter 12

When Matthew woke the next morning, something was terribly wrong. He picked up his head, growing alarmed at the brightness filtering into his bedroom. He gasped and flew off his mattress, snatching his glasses container from the nightstand beside the bed. He cursed the time showing on his cellphone, ten minutes later than the time his brother usually woke him (if abruptly) for school. Matthew pushed out of his bedroom, stomped down the hall, and shoved open Alfred's door.

"Al!" Matthew called. "You could have told me that you weren't going to wake me up...Al?" He looked around the empty bedroom. The bed was made, the covers neatly spread across the mattress, which was especially shocking. He streaked down the hall once more, flying down the stairs, and nearly fell onto his face when his feet tangled one another. "Al!" He lightly summoned, ducking into the kitchen, but there was no evidence of breakfast. The sink was empty, and the counters were clear from crumbs that usually littered their glossy surface.

Matthew peeked into the living room, just in case Alfred decided that video games had seniority over school, though he had to inwardly agree with his brother. After seeing that no one was on the ground floor, he scrambled back up the stairs, snooping in their shared bathroom and his father's office with no sign of Alfred.

"Al, you ass, did you forget about me...again?" Matthew scoffed, and lumbered into his own room to begrudgingly change out of his pajamas.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew was already ticking after being thoroughly scolded for being late to his first period, which was a free period, study hall, much to his confusion from that logic. The other teenagers seemed to mock him further by forming walls of themselves and walking as slowly as possible. He pattered from the kitchen into the lunch room with his tray of food, inwardly groaning from the scent of the offered meals sweating heavily around the crowded cafeteria.

Alfred was present at the table they usually sat at, with his loud cackles climbing over the collective conversations surrounding him. Matthew wondered if Arthur finally cracked a joke, or his brother was simply being louder than normal as he neared the table, and his normal volume was its own band alone. He set his lunch tray on the surface with more force than usual.

Neither of them acknowledged his arrival, especially his brother with his excited gesturing, and who could look away from that? "So, then the guy says, 'Ya spend a whole lotta time pushin' on doors that say 'pull,' don't ya?'"

Arthur cracked a rare grin that made Matthew feel a little better. "Could you say that again?"

"I said that he said if that guy spent-"

"No, in that silly voice of yours."

"Oh! 'Ya spend a whole-'"

Matthew raised his voice, "Hey, Alfred!"

His brother glanced at him, looking bewildered for a moment before grinning broadly. "Hey, Mattie!"

Arthur pulled a sour face as Matthew asked, "Did you get to school on time at least?"

Alfred tipped his head. "Y-yeah?" His eyes widened. "Oh, shit! I totally forgot to wake you up!"

"You forgot! Next time you decide to run away, tell me about it beforehand!"

"I said I was sorry! I forgot! Please don't be mad at me!" Alfred clasped his hands together and vigorously shook them in a panicky prayer. "You're scary when you get mad!"

Arthur raised his eyebrows and looked to Matthew in surprise. Matthew took a long inhale through his nose and slowly uncurled his fingers from fists on his lap. "I'm sorry, Al. I just...I guess I'm not having a good day today."

"What happened, man?"

Matthew crossed arms on the table to lean against them. "School. Monday mornings, school lunches..." _Loneliness?_ He was growing sick of it much too quickly.

Alfred glanced across the lunch room. "What about that guy you've been hanging around with?" He cracked a broad grin, "I don't much, but you've been creeping around a lot, being all secret-secret!"

Matthew dropped his gaze to his binder laying on the table and weakly dissented, "I'm not creeping!" He clamped a hand over his mouth. "Jeez, I sound a lot like Ivan now."

"Who's the one that creeps in that relationship!"

"Huh?! It's not like that!"

"Hey, you're the one that's thinking I was implying that!"

 _Damn! He got me!_ Matthew jabbed a green bean on his own plate without eating it.

"So, where is he anyway?"

"Who? Ivan?"

Alfred sounded happy as usual when he said, "Yeah, your new buddy!"

"He's..." Matthew glanced at the sky for a reasonable excuse. He saw his brother tilt his head expectantly. "He's taking a vacation."

Both Alfred and Arthur said, "A vacation?"

His brother was less suspicious, "Aw, man, I wish we could get a vacation, like, right now. Don't we have a mini-vacay coming up for President's Day soon?"

"Oh, you mean the weekend of Valentine's Day? Yeah." A genius opportunity jumped in Matthew's mind. It was his turn to dastardly hint, "Doing anything _special?_ "

Alfred easily replied, "Sleeping in, duh!"

Matthew glanced to Arthur, but he was using the throngs of his fork to roll some of his lunch over and back again without saying anything. "You're just going to sleep the whole time away? Don't you want to do something?"

"Ooh! Do you wanna have an all-weekend gaming marathon?! We-" Alfred cut off when his bench mate shot to his feet and swiped his tray to take to the trash cans. "Hey!"

Arthur did not glance in their direction, and Matthew stared at his back. Maybe he had a bad case of the Monday's, too. He turned back to his brother who shoveled his vegetables into his mouth like there was only seconds left on the clock. "Al, that's a day for romance. Don't you _maybe_ want to take Arthur out-"

" _Blech!_ " Mashed up greens flung out of Alfred's mouth, and Matthew stiffened in shock and disgust. His brother vehemently wagged his head side to side. "Dude," he sputtered out, despite his mouth still being full, "it's not like that! We're not, _ack!_ Choking!"

"Oh. Oh!" Matthew tore open his milk carton and passed it across the table. "I didn't know! I thought...well, you know. Jeez, I'm sorry."

Once the pint of milk was down the hatch, Alfred took a rough gulp and glanced pass his brother's head. "It's okay, I guess." He let out a pathetic laugh, "Don't want to be burning in Hell for all eternity, right?"

"Huh? For what? Oh..." Matthew was about to spew out that, no, it was not like that, but he did not know that either! He clamped his mouth shut, eyebrows knitting together from the tense air, and mauled over what to say without making things worse. Arthur had already done that, unknowingly, by returning from the garbage bins and quietly fell into his seat. Despite being raised around their father's aloofness when it came to romance, the teen had an innate fear that he, too, would suffer through the scalding torture in the afterlife. He spent the previous afternoon playing run-way-model with a demon to boot, so if it was anyone who was going to burn between the two brothers, it was Matthew.

However, he could not regret helping a person (with his own capable thoughts and feelings!) in need. Then, with his lunch mates staring off in different directions, he could step up to help again! No wonder Alfred liked heroics, but as long as Matthew left the big stuff to him, he did not mind tending to the little things that mattered. He loudly exclaimed, startling the others, but was too hyped up to be embarrassed. "Al, I have a great idea!"

His brother blinked in surprise, but his subtle gloom lifted for curiosity. "Well, what is it?"

"How about we hit up the gas station for snacks and drinks before we get home for that gaming marathon you were talking about?"

Alfred gasped like Einstein had dropped wisdom right then and there. "Dude, that's such a great idea! We gotta get stuff like-"

"Alfred," Arthur intruded, "did we not have plans later? I mean, that's what you were saying earlier..."

"Huh? We did? Oh, yeah, we did!"

Much less enthusiastically, Matthew echoed, "Oh, you did?" He could not meet Arthur's gaze, which most likely a threatened scowl, and kept his eyes on his dry green beans. "That's...great." _But I thought Alfred just said...?_

Movement caught his attention, however, as Arthur swished a hand at Alfred and tersely said, "Do what you want."

 _Seriously? He's my brother,_ Matthew tried to keep any internal bitterness off of his face for a light smile that said, "Hey, I don't mind," but his nose twitched passed the façade. _Of course Alfred would choose to hang out with someone else over me. He needs action and reactive company to keep him entertained, so I don't blame him._

"Yeah, yeah!" Alfred was much more alive now, thrashing side to side in his seat, unable to keep still because of simple excitement. "We could do both! Mattie, you could pick up the stuff while me and Artie go out...like, hang out for a few hours, and when I come home, we can get started."

"You would do that?"

Arthur was also impressed. "So there is a brain in there!"

Alfred snatched a pinch of his vegetables, which his bench mate was too slow to jab at the thieving hand with a plastic spoon. "Yep, and it's very hungry! Hey, Mattie, are you going to eat that?"

"Eat what exactly?"

"Anything on your plate?"

Matthew did not need to take a moment of consideration, and pushed his tray toward his brother. Alfred eagerly clapped before grabbing the entire thing to dump it on his own food. Yet, he was not the only one that was easily pleased between the two. The odd one out just sat in near silence for the rest of the period, with vague interest in his gaze between the brothers.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

As soon as the dismissal bell rung out, it was a race against all the other students to get outside as soon as possible, a race that Matthew was well-versed in. Unlike some of the brutes plundering through the crowd, squawking like wild beasts, the floors were a rink of ice for the skater who twisted between the clumps of bodies. This was a game with himself to touch as least people as possible, and get out of the school as soon as possible. It was easy to get by unnoticed, but that meant the crazies would barrel into him, if he did not get out of the way in time.

Successfully out of the loud and clammy throngs of other teenagers, Matthew took a generous inhale of the wintery breeze, and his lungs felt as if they were cleansed from the cold. Before he could go home and carelessly toss his binders and books under his bed, he hurried to the town's only gas station for the 'supplies' needed for the upcoming, weekend-long gaming session he was genuinely excited about.

The only thing that Matthew thought that could go wrong was their father ripping them from the TV to eat dinner, and that was not even a mildly bad thing! So as soon as he stepped into the family home, and his brother's wicked laughter erupted from the living room, he was a bit taken back. He hesitated by the front door, listening for other voices, but only heard Alfred's giggles die off into a disheartened sigh. He crept into the living room and saw his brother flopped on the couch, his head craned over the back of the sofa as he stared at the ceiling. His gaze flickered to Matthew and he straightened up with a smile.

"Hey, there, Mattie. 'Sup," he said, not sounding questioning.

"Hey," Matthew called, walking over to the couch, and settled beside his brother. "I didn't think you were going to be home so soon-"

"Eh, change of plans!" Alfred said loudly, and grabbed for his gaming controller resting on the coffee table. His brother did not question it, elated in his small victory. "Come on! I've been waiting for you to get home! You got the stuff?"

"Hell yeah, I got the stuff!" Matthew ripped open his bag of goodies from the gas station, and dumped the contents on the coffee table so it was easier to sort out the various boxes, bags, and bottles of sugar intake. He slapped a hand over a particular box, "Before anything, I'm taking the malt balls!"

Alfred grabbed for his first bottle of soda. "Sure, Mattie, but I'm going to be player 1!"

"As always," Matthew quipped, and tugged open the box that would be the first of many for him, too. He felt a smile take over his face as he snuggled beside his brother, and both pairs of eyes glazed over as their game took control. Elbows were thrown out as the two cars on the screen slammed against one another, both struggling to get to the checkered finish line first, and unaware of the added background noise.

Matthew huffed, bending to one side as if the movement could effect his vehicle. "Al, I think your phone is ringing."

"Fuck! I bailed out! Seriously, that was a dirty trick, dude!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Matthew barked back, and gasped when he zipped over the finish line. He leaped from the couch with an arm in the air. "Yes! I won!" Alfred shot an arm up and jabbed his side, causing him to squeak and flop back onto the sofa.

"You got lucky that round!" His brother retorted as he stood up with a grunt, and twisted to crack his back. "I'm gonna get a couple of napkins so we don't get our controllers all dirty. You want anything from the kitchen?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

Matthew fiddled with his controller as his brother stumbled away. He grinned and whispered, "I missed this." A cheesy pop tune escaped between the cushions again, and he fished for the source of the noise. He pulled Alfred's cellphone from the sofa's cushions, "I didn't know Al liked Brittany Spears- oh," and his expression soured as he stared at the name across the screen.

His thumb hovered over the end button, listening to the song play out. Then, he hit the ignore button, turned the device on silent, and stuffed it back into the couch cushions. Matthew wiggled above the spot where he buried the phone, and dug into some candy so he would look casual when his brother returned.

 _You had your time. It's ours now._

Alfred returned and put a pile of napkins on Matthew's head before plopping back onto the sofa. "You ready for another round, dude?"

"Hold on. Let me eat some stuff before you get to it."

"Too late!" Alfred proclaimed, grabbed a handful of his brother's candies, and shoved them in his face.

Matthew watched some bounce onto the floor, and grabbed the napkins from his head. "Bro, seriously?"

"Bro!" Alfred twisted around on the couch, patting the material on all sides. "Where's my phone?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Isn't it in your pocket?"

"No, I swear I tossed it on the couch." Alfred dug at the side of his head, and Matthew watched with baited breath from the corner of his eye. His brother shrugged, and grabbed for more food. "Whatever, man. It doesn't matter right now."

He thought he would be triumphant, but Matthew felt guilty instead. He tried not to think that he could feel the shape of Alfred's phone poke through an entire couch cushion, and distracted himself with another handful of food while their game was paused. Besides the crunching and munching, it was unusually quiet between both brothers. Alfred's mouth was pulled down to a grimace as he gave a now empty box of candies a shake, and tossed it onto the table before flopping against the sofa with a big sigh.

"Hey, Al?"

"Yeah?"

Matthew gave his palms a swipe over his jeans, and angled himself to face his brother. "Did you...did you and Arthur have a fight?"

"Oh, by a fight, you mean that he totally freaked out because a joke I made?"

"Really? What was the joke?"

"I told him his eyebrows look like caterpillars, and then I asked him what they'd look like after they turn into butterflies."

Matthew blinked a few times and let out a little laugh, not sure if he was supposed to or not.

Alfred held out an outstretched hand. "See? See! It was funny! I tried telling him that, but instead he started bitching instead!"

"I'm used to your humor, Al. I can see why he got offended."

"Yeah, but over a little joke gone wrong? I mean, _come on!_ He's just so hot-heated over the littlest things, and once he starts, he doesn't _ever_ stop nagging. It's so hard to let yourself have fun, huh? And you seen how he cooks!"

"He can't," Matthew murmured empathetically. "Hey, if he really bugs you that much, then don't feel obligated to stick around just because he saved your life. I mean, you thanked him, and gave him some time, but if it's not working out-"

Alfred lightly snorted from an odd laugh. " _Pssh_ , it has nothing to do with that, dude. Sure, that's what got us talking, but..."

"But what?"

"I...well..." Alfred lifted his glasses to swipe a hand down his face, squeezed his eyes shut, and spoke behind his palm, "It feels great to make him laugh and smile...and stuff. I wanna be friends with him, you know?"

Matthew turned his head so his brother would not see whatever dull expression he pulled. "That may explain some things."

Alfred had gone back to digging in their food stash after fixing his glasses to their normal perch. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, all right."

As if it was not so bad before, Matthew had learned it was true that one could be eaten up by guilt. He could not just reach under the cushions and pull out Alfred's phone, claiming, "Oh, hey, Arthur was calling you, but the constant ringing was getting on my nerves, so I stuffed it in the couch!" Instead, he tactfully suggested, "Hey, I think you should give him a call."

"Huh?" One of Alfred's cheeseballs did not go down the latch smoothly. " _Agh!_ Why would I do that?!"

"So you can explain things and make up. He might have cooled off by now."

"He _might_ have! That's like jumping in a pool and saying there's no alligators!"

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows. "But...pools don't usually have alligators?"

"This one does!"

He sharply sighed and pretended to angrily pat the couch. "Let's go. I'm going to find your phone, and you're going to call him back."

Alfred leaped from the sofa, making sure to snatch his bag of chips to bring along. "Mattie, no!"

Matthew snuck a hand under his seat and pulled out the phone. "Oh, look. He already called you. Twice."

"Ugh, dude, _so_ not cool." Alfred swamped his snack to his other hand to wipe any crumbs onto his pants, and grabbed his phone to stare at the screen. He gasped and dropped his chips onto the carpet, exclaiming, "He's calling again!"

"Pick it up?"

"But-"

"Al, seriously." Matthew pushed himself to his feet. "Or I'll do it!"

"No, no! That's okay!" His brother hurried out of the room, and must have picked up the call. His voice came out _timid-_ just what did this man do to him? "Uh...y-yeah? Hi." Alfred loudly cleared his throat and started again. "I mean, what's up?"

Matthew gave his head a small shake and knelt down to pick up the abandoned bag of chips from the floor. Alfred had that kind of voice that carried, so even though he fled to the kitchen to have a private chat, his brother could still hear him.

"Ugh, really? Did you call me just to yell at me again?!" The small moment of silence must have been for Arthur to reply from the other end. Matthew set the plastic bag on the coffee table and crept to the doorway between the living room and hall. His brother exclaimed, "I tried to say that it was a joke earlier, but you wouldn't hear any of it!"

Another hesitation. Matthew meant to slink back to the couch, but remained glued against the wall, eavesdropping instead. "You know, because caterpillars are fuzzy and cute! I'm not calling you cute, though! Ha-ha!"

Then a flustered sputter, "Well, you don't make sense either, dude!" Matthew risked a peek pass the doorway, and saw Alfred's back hunched over the island counter. He suddenly straightened with a loud gasp, "Really? You'd still want to do that? Oh, but Mattie and I were going to do our thingy all weekend. Okay, maybe not _all_ weekend, I guess."

"Al," Matthew grumbled beneath his breath. "Are you seriously-"

"Yeah! I'll be there before you even put your phone down!"

"You seriously are."

Alfred darted into the living room, pass his brother. He glanced around, and called, "Mattie?"

"Right behind you!"

"Eek! Yo, you gotta stop that!"

"I'm not doing anything." Matthew knew the answer already, but asked, "What happened?"

"You know how me and Artie were going to hang out earlier, but then we...yeah? I'm going to do that now, and when I come back we'll game the rest of the weekend away, okay?"

Matthew gave his head a shake as his brother slung his jacket over his shoulders and snatched his left over bag of cheeseballs for the trip. "But Al!"

"Rest of the weekend, bro! I got to get to Arthur now, you know, while there's no alligators in the pool!"

"W-well, all right." Matthew did not know what else to say besides, "Be careful!" He was plunged into silence after his brother slammed the front door. _Nothing brings me greater joy than being pushed away for the shiny, new toy._ He shamed himself, "No, this is a good thing. For Alfred."

Matthew sunk into the couch and ripped the second controller from its socket. He found no more joy in his racing game, so he begrudgingly used this miserable opportunity to complete the homework that stayed in his binder for longer than needed.

Francis emerged from upstairs, out of his office a while later, smiling at one of his sons bent over his school duties at the island counter. " _Salut, Matthieu._ Is it going?"

"It's...fine. Could be worse."

His father gave him a sympathetic look before reaching into the cabinet above the refrigerator. "School. You cannot pay me to go back. Where is Alfred?"

Matthew slapped his hands on the surface. "He's hanging out with Arthur!"

Francis gave a curious look over his shoulder and tipped a bottle of wine into a glass. "What is that tone of yours, _hm_?"

His son flipped his sheet of homework over, not making a lick of sense of what the words said at that moment. "I didn't mean to say it like that. It's just...we had plans. Well, they had plans before, but there was some kind of argument, and Al came back earlier than expected, so I thought we'd get a jump on _our_ plans."

Francis gracefully settled in a stool across from Matthew, and lifted an eyebrow along with his drink. "But?"

Matthew glanced down to the table, avoiding that omniscient look of his father's. "I told him to call Arthur back and fix things, but now I'm kinda regretting it." He quickly shook his head and corrected himself, "Not the fixing things part, that's good for him, but I wish he stayed at home instead of running out the door to see him."

Francis sighed happily, and gave his glass a gentle swirl to make the wine dance. "Ah, that sounds like the call of a lovebird." It was no surprise he would say something along those lines. He was in love with love.

"Papa, no. Not Alfred."

His father was taken back, blinking several times. " _Quoi_? What makes you talk down on your brother like that?"

"I'm not talking down on him," Matthew weakly insisted. "It's just that Alfred is...an overly excited puppy about things, and winds up knocking everything down. Not just figuratively either."

"Ah, but lots of women and men are enamored by puppies, and do not forget, puppies have feelings, too."

"Don't be silly, Papa." That what it was to Matthew; silly, and a little too hard to believe that whatever was 'blooming' was legitimate because he was not sure if angels could fall in love, or if they should. _Isn't that_ always _against the job description in every book, movie, and TV show? Rule one: DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH HUMANS._ Besides, he just could not see his carefree brother looking at someone the same way he looked at burgers.

"There are a lot of silly things in the world," Francis murmured. "Love is not one of them. Who knows? Soon you may be running from your familiar duties to be enveloped by the open arms of _l'amour!"_

Matthew replied with an awkward laugh. _I never doubted anything so much before in my life._

"And when that 'appens, would you want Alfred to doubt _your_ feelings?"

 _Oh no, there he goes with those 'I know everything' eyes!_ "I think you might mean, if that happens?"

Out of all things said that evening, that was what offended Francis the most. He blanched in horror, and smacked a palm to his chest. Matthew only grew more nervous as he shot from his seat and hustled around the counter. " _Matthieu!_ You are my son, so you are very, very beautiful!" He gently ruffled the sides of Matthew's hair, despite the small protests. "Do not talk down on yourself like that!" He spun away as if every movement caused him to weep, and grasped his glass of wine tighter for extra flair. "'ow can you love another when you cannot love yourself?!"

"I'm sorry?" Matthew did not know what else to say. _Wait a minute, how did this get turned on me?!_

His father waggled a finger at him. "Do not say 'I am sorry.' Say, 'Yes, Papa."

Matthew let out an overdramatic sigh, but a timid smile ruined it. "Yes, Papa."

* * *

 _Blehps:_

Alfred: Oh man! I'm hungry!

Alfred: *opens refrigerator*

*Careless Whisper begins to play*

Alfred: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) nice.


	14. Chapter 13

_Author's Note- Hey! Take a moment to imagine Ivan flipping his scarf over his shoulder like a irritated diva about to lay down some heavy fashion do's and do not's. You may proceed._

* * *

Matthew's eyes flew open, groaning in disgust at the bright light filtering into his bedroom. He pulled himself up, groping at a pillow underneath him. He did not remember dragging himself from watching television late into the previous night to upstairs, yet he was in his bed. He wondered if his father carried him as he used to, but that was when the boy was much more smaller, and he doubted it now. Besides, Francis most likely would not be able to make it a few steps with his occasional hip pains and his son's great size. The next possibility would be Alfred managing the climb, but he never came home by the time Matthew passed out, despite his 'All weekend, bro!'

Matthew took a small sniffle, then a skidding breath before sneezing from the sweet, heavy scent permeating his bedroom. He grunted, annoyed by the many colors before his eyes he could not focus on, so he reached over his nightstand for his glasses. His fingers brushed by something soft and rubbery, certainly not his lens. He cringed from the alien feeling, and snatched his glasses from the other side of the mysterious object.

"What the Hell!" He groaned once the round lens were over his eyes. It was too early in his day to begin fathoming why his bedroom was enveloped in a jungle of tens of different collections of flowers. Reds, yellows, blues, whites; all colors possible for plants littered his dresser, the bookshelf across the room, and even the small television set on its stand.

The rubbery object on the nightstand was the strangest plant of them all. It looked like no other; its stem was dark, almost black, running up to a toothed bulb and tightly clamped over itself. When Matthew lightly touched it, he swore it was warm to the touch. A tag was attached to the rounded bottom, with some roots still attached, and the piece of paper had fine text printed across it.

 _Keep me warm._

Matthew sighed, and a tired smile barely lifted his cheeks. "Any normal human being would knock on the door or give a call to say, 'Hey, I'm back!'" He groggily blinked at the carpet a few times, and then murmured, "But then again, you're not normal and you're not human."

He pulled away from curiously pinching the strange flower's stem to rise to his feet and stretch his legs until they cracked. He would have to get breakfast in his belly before worrying about the flowery mess in his bedroom. A cabinet door slammed closed as he crept downstairs, signaling someone was already in the kitchen. Matthew was expecting to see his father preparing breakfast, getting used to someone else making his meals again, but instead, it was Alfred jumping away from the counter and whipping his hand back and forth.

"Ow, ow! Those were my fingers!"

"Al," Matthew drawled.

His brother twitched in fright, and clumsily spun around. "Whoa, dude, you startled me!"

"I can tell."

"Why are you creeping around? Jeez," Alfred uneasily laughed, but with how his face looked from a lack of its usual color and life, it died off pretty quickly.

Matthew gawked at the bags behind Alfred's glasses, "What happened to you?!"

Alfred shrugged, "I stayed up all night." He pulled out a stool from beneath the island counter and fell on it, grasping his glass of juice as if his life depended on it.

"You didn't come home at all?!"

His brother did not seemed fazed, unless he was too tired to react properly. "You sound like Dad." When Matthew waited with a mixture of agitation and worry on his face, he sighed, "No."

"What?"

"I didn't come home last night, all right? I stayed with Arthur for the night..." Alfred held up a hand. "We didn't sneak away to do drugs or anything! We just stayed up late and talked and watched a bit of TV. Then I crashed in his motel room and just came home a few minutes ago."

"So you two made up?"

Alfred stopped lifting his glass to his face to lazily smile. "Yeah, but I got to watch out in case he tosses the alligators in the pool again."

"Nice." Matthew went to work with his breakfast; scrambled eggs. "Do you want anything to eat?"

His brother surprised him with, "Nah, I think I'm going to get some sleep before Dad wakes up."

"Huh? You're not hungry?"

"I'm more tired than hungry."

As Alfred tossed his cup in the sink and shuffled out of the kitchen, Matthew squeezed in, "W-wait, we're still going to play video games later, right?"

Alfred sighed, his shoulders slouching, and he tossed behind himself, "Dude, we can play them anytime. It's not a big deal." He slunk up the stairs with whatever remaining energy he had, leaving his brother to stare after him with a disheartened look before turning back to his meal. After his eggs were cooked, and down his throat, Matthew heard heavy footsteps resonate on the upper floor, announcing that their father was awake.

Francis' voice rose, "What in the world are you still doing in bed this late?!"

Matthew did not catch what his brother whined in reply, but he laughed anyway. He cleared his throat and hummed innocently when Francis thumped down the stairs in a huff. "'onestly, that boy is going to get bed sores!"

"Hi, Papa."

"Oh, good week gone by, _oui?_ Another week I come closer to leaving my poor boys again."

Matthew gasped, "So soon?"

"Ah, do not sound so sad, _Matthieu!_ I will not be able to go if I see your crying eyes!" Francis pressed an endearing kiss to the side of his son's face, who curled his nose but grinned from the attention. "Believe it or not, this is an international interview for one of my older works!"

"That's great, Papa!"

" _Oui_ , there is just one problem, though."

Matthew's smile fell. "Uh oh, what would that be?"

"I am going to be interviewed in England!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

 _Keep me warm. Keep me warm. Keep me warm._ Matthew reread the slip of paper tied onto the foreign plant, feeling as if it had a life force. Surely all flowers were once living, but slowly choked off once plucked, but the strange one he held was giving off small ebbs of heat, and the scent was one of fire, not wood or gasoline burning, but smoke.

The bathroom was the warmest place in the house due to the radiator easily heating the small sized room. Matthew set the plant in a clear cup of water on a shelf surrounding the rails. After listening to his father panic about getting the Black Plague from the English all morning, the floral scents and silence of his bedroom proved to be a safe haven. He hovered around the quaint room, lightly brushing his hands against the different flowers and inhaling the various scents. The bouquet of thirteen (he counted) roses of all colors as the centerpiece of his dresser was his favorite.

Matthew had his nose buried in the only blood red bulb in the middle of the rosy collection, smiling wistfully with his eyes closed. It was not everyday he received endearing gifts. The bedroom door creaked open, but he did not step away from the plants, too distracted with being swallowed up with giddiness. There was an exclamation of surprise, the only thing that managed to make his eyes snap open with a gasp and spin around.

Francis gawked at all the flowers with his mouth hung open. " _Qu'est-ce c'est?!_ Where did all these flowers come from?"

"Don't be angry, Papa," Matthew would not stop smiling. "I didn't do it."

His father blinked a few times, still shocked, but his eyebrows soon raised as a grin slowly stretched across his face. "Ah, so my little _Matthieu_ has a secret admirer, or does he know where _exactly_ these beauties came from?"

"Oh, I have a good idea," the boy quietly replied, and turned back to the bouquet, his smile persisting. Anytime someone, by some mysterious chance, expressed, hinted, or even looked at him in a positive light, Francis made sure he had his fair share of teasing about the whole ordeal. It was a parent's duty to do so in the first place. Yet Matthew did not turn beet red and vehemently deny his accusations this time.

Matthew asked, breaking his father's distant stares, "Did you need something?

"What did I tell you about _l'amour?_ Do you still 'ave your doubts?"

"Papa, they're plants, not a love confession."

Francis walked over to his television stand to cradle a rosy bulb in his palm and took a generous inhale. "Ah, that is where you are wrong, _Matthieu._ The language of flowers is for when words fail to come out!"

"These are friendship flowers. They're from a friend."

"Red roses do _not_ mean friendship, my boy."

 _As if Ivan knows that. Speaking with flowers could be as crazy as bathing in lava for him._ Matthew playfully rolled his eyes, wanting to chase his father out of his room before he could say more weird things, but Francis gave himself a little shake before he could say anything. "Oh, that is not what I wanted to tell you. I will be leaving Sunday morning."

Suddenly, things were serious. "Huh?! That's tomorrow!"

"Do not fret, _Matthieu._ I have plans for the time remaining."

Matthew light heartedly put in, "As always."

Francis chuckled, guilty. "Tonight, wear your nicest clothes. I want both of you boys downstairs at six."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Alfred pelted down the porch stairs. "I call shotgun!"

Matthew streaked after him across the yard. "I don't think so!" Both brothers touched the passenger's door at the same time, squinting menacingly at one another as they waited for their father to unlock the vehicle. "I'm the oldest, so that means I get first pick."

"Nuh-uh!" Alfred shook his head. "You always use that excuse! Besides, you were a preemie baby! It doesn't count!"

"Yes, it does! Just sit in the back and deal with it!"

Alfred gave his brother a shove on the shoulder. "You deal with it!"

"Hey!" Matthew spat, not retaliating physically. "You always get to be Player 1 in video games, so I should at least get the front seat!"

"That's stupid."

Matthew lamely retorted, "You're stupid!"

" _Ça suffit!"_ Francis barked as he trailed down the sidewalk. "You will crumple your collars if this carries on!"

Alfred turned to him. "But Dad!"

Francis held up a hand. "I do not want to 'ear anymore squabbling tonight! Both of you sit in the back!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"I want chicken fingers."

Francis pointed out, "Alfred, this is a formal establishment."

"Can I still get chicken fingers?" Matthew clenched onto his menu tighter, growing restless with his stomach grumbling for food. When neither replied, Alfred huffed, "Oh, fine. I'll get something fancy-shmancy."

Their table was quiet. The waitress taking their orders was a temporary relief, only for it to plunge into silence again once she left. Alfred snuck his phone beneath the table, smiling at whatever was on the screen while Matthew rolled and unrolled his napkin over and over.

Their father tried to bring life to the table, "How is school going?"

Both glanced at him, then to one another before shrugging. Matthew opened his mouth, but Alfred proclaimed, "Same thing different day, Dad!"

Francis shook with laughter. "Of course. What was I thinking when I asked that?"

The waitress returned with their salads, and the small family immediately set off to eat. Matthew put in quietly, "I...I don't like school that much."

"You are almost done with it, _Matthieu_." It fell quiet once more, except the crunching of greens, or the sounds of grunting from Alfred as he inhaled his food.

Slightly persisting for conversation, Matthew asked, "So, um, when do you think you are going to come back, Papa?"

"I 'ave yet to know for certain, but I want to come 'ome again around Spring."

"A month?" Alfred groaned, "Dude!"

"I am your father, Alfred. I rather you refer to me as such. I also do not want to 'ear about this...boxed dinner atrocity again!" Francis turned to Matthew. "Take control, _Matthieu!"_

Alfred let out a pitiful laugh, and his brother ducked his head. The waitress returned, and the family piped down once more as she took their salad plates. The younger twin produced his phone again to tack away on the screen.

Matthew sourly suggested, "Could you put that on silent?"

"How will I know if messages came through?"

Francis said, "You should not be sending e-mails at the table, anyway."

"Dad, they're text messages, not e-mails."

"How am I to know there is a difference?"

Alfred did not respond. Francis was not pleased as he eyed the device in disdain, but did not say anything else about it. He lightly sighed, putting a hand to his cheek, and flickered his eyes between his two sons. Since Alfred was in another world, he decided to land his focus on Matthew. " _Cher Matthieu,_ you have all those flowers in your room, and you _do_ know who bestowed them onto you, _oui?_ Care to enlighten me?"

"What's there to say, Dad? I have a bunch of flowers in my room. Woo."

Alfred peeked up, raising his eyebrows in curiosity. "Somebody got you flowers? Ooh!"

Francis asked, "Could you be more vague?"

Matthew fidgeted in his seat, and the cushion squawked beneath him. His brother giggled at the funny noises. "What do you need to know?"

"Do you know who gave them to you?"

Matthew lightly whined, "You already asked me that." His father tipped his head and smiled. "Ugh, if it was who I think it is, then yes, but I still have to talk to him...I mean, them about it."

"Are you going to get _them_ something, too? If you are lost on what to get, I 'ave plenty."

Matthew's hands balled into fists against his slacks. "I don't think that'll be necessary."

Before he could chew it over, Alfred clamped a hand on the table, snapping both of their attentions. "Huh?! Wait, what?" Matthew and Francis stared, waiting for him to elaborate, but he only said, "Um, I...uh..."

"What?" Matthew did not keep the sarcasm from his voice, "Did you come across another scary picture because of your lurking?"

Alfred twitched as if he was going to lunge over his brother, and grew terrified when he did not move. "Mattie! I got to go!"

"What?" Francis scoffed, "Do not be ridiculous, Alfred. We 'ave yet to eat dinner!"

"I-I know, Dad, but..." Alfred shook his head, and made a rough sweeping motion with his hand. "Move, Mattie, jeez!"

Matthew did not have a choice but to slide out of the booth, but he was too slow, as Alfred scrambled across him, sticking his rear end in his brother's face during the process. He looked to his father, confused and disturbed. Francis shot out his seat, grabbing Alfred's suit jacket. " _Aïe!_ Not so fast, young man! Where do you think you are running off to?"

Alfred tried to pull away, without success. "Dad, it's important!"

"More important than spending one night with your family? I am going to be gone for over a month!"

Alfred twisted out of his jacket and away from his father's clutches. "I know, I know! We'll talk on the phone or something! I _have_ to go!"

"Alfred!" Francis shouted, watching his son jog down the walkway, quickly making his way to the exit. He whipped around and grabbed his own coat.

"Leave him, Papa."

Francis stared at Matthew in shock. " _Quoi?!"_

"I think Arthur called him. I saw his name on his phone screen when he was crawling away." Matthew limply shrugged. "If Al wants to hang with him over us, so be it. We have a delicious dinner that is going to come out to us at any moment, so please, let's enjoy it, eh?"

His father's mouth clamped shut to a deep frown, and he gave his head a little shake in disbelief. "Alfred acted like it was a life or death situation!"

"To him, it probably was." Matthew could not help but be curious himself about what happened, but knew that he was going to host an interrogation over his brother later anyway.

Francis still seeemed to consider chasing after his son, but the waitress had arrived with their dinners. He flopped into the seat with a furious scowl on his stubbly face, and glared at the third plate, untouched, for the rest of the night.


	15. Chapter 14

"I cannot believe...that little..." Francis clenched the steering wheel. His son looked to him in worry. "I do not know what to do with 'im!"

Matthew did not say anything, favoring to look out the window at the street lights flying behind them. His father has been grumbling since they left the restaurant nearly an hour ago. _Alien abduction,_ he thought. Wherever and for whatever reason Arthur had summoned his brother, they were not going to find him.

"Papa," Matthew lifted his face from his hand. "We circled this cul-de-sac _five_ times now. I think looking for Alfred will make him hide more. It would be better for us to wait for him to come home instead."

Francis suddenly tapped the break, and his son grunted against his seat belt. He opened his mouth to say something, but clamped it shut with a furious scoff instead. He threw the vehicle in reverse and sped back to the house.

Matthew jumped when his father slammed the car door behind him once he parked beside the sidewalk. He quietly followed Francis inside the house, hanging his coat on the rack when his dad slung his over one of the kitchen stools. Then, when Francis immediately went for the coffee maker, and they both knew it would be a long night.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

When Francis stood up from his seat to fetch a fourth cup of caffeine, Matthew told him, "Papa, the coffee won't help matters."

"No, it will 'elp me stay up so I can give that boy a piece of my mind when he comes 'ome!" Francis settled back into his stool with a huff. Some of the dark liquid splattered on the counter, but he only scowled at the droplets.

 _If he comes home_. Yet Francis did not know or need to know his doubts or Alfred's previous behaviors. Matthew gulped. "You have to get up really early to catch your flight. You got to get _some_ sleep."

" _Matthieu,_ why does it seem like you are sticking up for your brother? Are you fine with him ditching our only outing we were able to 'ave in _months?"_

"Not at all, Papa," Matthew looked at his feet. "I think he knows what he has done, and he will eventually return home." _Please, please, let that be true._ "He'll get too hungry and cold if he stays away too long."

Francis took his mug away from his face. He sighed, "I suppose he will. I will try to get _some_ sleep, but I will not guarantee anything."

Matthew gave his father a small smile, and put his cup in the sink. " _Bon_ _ne nuit,_ Papa."

His father hesitated in the hallway doorway. " _Matthieu,_ you know _something."_

The mug Matthew was rinsing clattered in the sink. "I-Is that a question?"

Francis stared at his back. His son slowly looked over his shoulder, meeting his saddened gaze. He did not say anything else, and turned for the stairs. Matthew stood in silence for a moment, his jaw clenching and unclenching. He snuck his hand into his sweatshirt's pocket to pull out his cell phone. He had tried contacting his brother after they left the restaurant, under his father's orders, but Alfred never picked up.

However, the screen lit up with a call from nobody else but him, actually calling back. Matthew blinked in surprise before touching the answer button and putting the device to his ear. "Al?"

" _Psst_! Mattie!"

"What, what? What happened? I tried calling you earlier-"

Another louder voice hissed, "What the bloody Hell do you think you are doing?!"

"Mattie, I got to make this quick, but you got to do something."

That someone else snarled, "Alfred!"

"Chill out, man! I'm whispering!"

Something thumped against the phone from the other line. "You call that whispering? A deaf person could hear you down the block!"

Matthew narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Is that Arthur's voice? What did he want so bad that you decided to ditch your family on an important outing?"

There was silence on the other end. Matthew took his phone away from the side of his face, seeing if the call died, but the timer was still ticking. "I...I can't tell you, Mattie." Alfred quickly added, "Not now, at least. So, please, _please_ stay inside, lock all the doors and windows, and close the curtains, all right? Make the house seem like nobody is awake, just like everyone else's. I'll be home by morning, _I promise."_

Matthew wanted to ask how often his brother kept his promises, but he seemed unusually serious. Alfred was frightened. The cruel words died on his lips "I..." He cleared his throat. "I don't know what is going on, Al, but you _better_ come home. I'll be mad at you forever if you died or anything!"

Alfred giggled quietly on the other end, as if he had a hand over his mouth. "Don't worry about me, Mattie! I have a guardian angel by my side!" To someone else, "Whoa, man, where are you going?"

"Al...?" Matthew slowly peeled his phone from his face as the timer beeped, signaling the call was disconnected. A clear thought darted through his head, _So, he does know_ _._ It could not have been more obvious, even if Alfred held up a sign that read, 'Arthur's a literal angel!' Even if he was personally skeptical of Arthur, of what he wanted or what he was doing around in such an insignificant town, worrying for insignificant people, he was sure that whatever was between them, the angel would not allow harm to come to his brother. Yet what harm was it, for Alfred to become uncharacteristically serious like that? He did not know, and his hands grew clammy at the thought.

Whatever was scaring the likes of them was outside, so Matthew knew there was no way he was going outside the house and investigating. That is how people die all the time in horror movies, and he was not about to become an example himself! He drew the kitchen curtains close, catching one last glimpse of the dark road illuminated by sparse street lights. Then he proceeded to do the same to all the downstairs windows, and stopped before the rear door that faced the back yard, which did not have a covering for its pane.

Matthew twisted the lock, and listened to his shallow breathing, the only noise in his ears. _What if this is something bigger than angels and demons?_ For a moment, he thought he was being paranoid, until a shadow fell in front of the door. He jumped hard enough to hurt himself, stumbled backwards, and wound up hitting the carpet. His mouth opened for a scream, but only a choked gasp came forth.

Ivan's face was on the other side of the glass, looking down at him with an expression that could pass as fright. Matthew only stared at his piercing gaze that held no trace of his previous warmth in its demonic features. His hot breath blew clouds onto the glass, and he dared to giggle for a quick moment at his panic. "Matthew!" The demon prompted, jostling the door knob. "Let me in!"

"W-why are you..." Matthew started, but Ivan only tipped his head, not being able to hear him. The teen crawled to the door and reached for the lock. His fingers pinched the metal, peeking up at the demon's face, at the hint of desperateness that shown through his wide eyes. He told himself, "It's...Ivan, yeah."

As soon as he heard the little click, Ivan threw open the door and dove pass him, onto the carpet with a whine of fright. He jumped and snarled lightly when Matthew closed the door, momentarily scared by the noise. Matthew gawked at the demon's tail twitching in agitation as he grunted, "I can smell the angel _everywhere."_

"Who? Arthur?"

Ivan snapped his head to the direction of the soft voice, and Matthew twitched, realizing that his back was pressed against the wall. "Matthew, where is your brother?"

"Uh, h-he's out and about with Arthur." Matthew glanced up and down at the broad wings bending up, then down from the demon's shoulder blades- big, powerful and certainly not human.

The hellish creature twisted around to gaze with slits for pupils, and when he spoke with in a hissing tone, portending his agitation, fangs protruded from his upper lip. Matthew inwardly reminded himself of the warm gaze and soft giggles his company made when he was human, or at least disguised as one. "Really? Good, good. That is..." he swiped a clawed hand down his face and let out a sharp exhale. "It is okay right now, yes? This is a safe haven until Alfredo brings that manner of creature in here."

"Yeah," Matthew slowly slid down the wall to kneel on the floor. "Dad is upstairs in bed, so we're the only ones around so far, but you should try to...cover yourself up before they get back. Why are you even...you know...out like this?"

"I _just_ came back from Hell. Did I not say the angels take their duties seriously? I was going to come here, but I was being followed, so I had to make sure he lost the trail."

"And he did, right?" Matthew's leg twitched when his company's tail swept in an angry arc and hit his foot. "You should cloak yourself before he picks up the trail."

Ivan did not make a move to do anything. "I...I cannot do that."

"Huh? How come?"

"I am too riled up. Talk about something."

"About what?"

"Anything!"

Matthew clenched his jaw from the nasty tone. "Well...I found out that Alfred knows that Arthur's an angel. So, when he gets home, I'll be able to talk to him about it."

"Oh, really?!" Ivan seemed especially intrigued by that, and scuffled around on the floor to face Matthew. "Now we will be able to find out this pretty little angel's motives, and what the Hell your brother is thinking!"

"I get the 'partners in crime' vibe from them, but without the crime." When the demon tipped his head in confusion, Matthew said, "Alfred likes him."

"What? That is silly. Does your brother not have a sense of smell?"

Matthew let out a tiny laugh. "Don't ask. Around here, angels are highly revered, even if people don't really know what they really look like, or how they really are, what they really do, if they even exist...you get the point. If someone were to say they made friends with one, they'd get a pat on the back and congratulated. At the very least."

Ivan blanched.

"Yeah, I sometimes feel that way, too. Yet if, for example, though I wouldn't go strutting this around for obvious reasons, I were to say I befriended a demon, I'd probably get burned at the stake."

''Steak? Oh, you mean a wooden stake." Ivan grew quiet for a moment in his distant gaze on the carpet. "Are we _that_ bad?"

 _That's the best case scenario, too, as opposed to being shunned or hunted down for the rest of my life if people found out._ Matthew leaned against his legs that were to his chest to stare at his feet. "Many people have the wrong notions of your kind, or rather _some_ of your kind, but I know that's just superstitious over exaggeration for an entire species."

Alas, the demon eased, and went from a tense kneel to a seat on the floor in front of Matthew. "It was not always like that, from what I used to hear from older demons. We used to be something of nightmares, and angels were these messes of feathers and light. Of course, when _your_ kind started to run around, the angels seemed to...adapt and become more stronger from this, more unified with the humans, and we were driven back to Hell, and have stayed there for many, many generations. So now, we are just things of tales to the ignorant."

Matthew could not help but be infatuated with the history lesson. "But?"

"But those that _do_ know, or remember...there are still the dangerous and daring amongst our numbers."

"Yeah? Are you dangerous?"

Ivan sprouted a sharp smile. "I would want to say yes."

 _Despite all that, I am glad to see him again._ "I'm not really a professional on angels, but you seem to know a thing or two. You said that angels got their strength to chase the demons back into Hell from humans. How?"

"Ah, yes, you are the inquisitive one. I only know what I learned from asking around, and even then, that is not much. I am certain Alfredo has many secrets. If you need help, I can hold him by his ankles and shake them out of him."

"Hm, very specific, but it may work. So, the angels?"

"Right. When you asked me if demons eat humans, I said no, and that is not a lie, but it is not the truth, either."

Matthew smacked the floor with both of his hands. "You _do_ eat people!"

Ivan held a palm up. "Matthew, please, let me explain myself. 'Eat' is a difficult word. I should say 'feed' instead."

"Ew. Don't they mean the same thing?"

"No, because when angels and demons feed on humans, they are not even aware of what is going on. Before you ask, yes, they survive. This...feeding is only fatal if the poor human is constantly drained by many of us, or eventually expires from exhaustion."

Matthew leaned back against the wall with his face scrunched up. "Like I said, ew."

"We eat as all living things do, but we get our true strength from the festering sin from your kind, and angels embrace the goodwill of humans. It is just another way we have become so different, and will continue to fight because of that reason."

"So...that's why angels kicked the demons out from prancing all over the place. It's competition for a food source."

"Hm, mostly, yes, back when we rose from the flames to roam the surface."

"Were you...around when this happened?"

"Oh, no, Matthew! This is ancient lore. I am not that old!"

Matthew blurted, "Oh! That's a relief." He grimaced from his friend's confused expression, and shook his head side to side. "Uh, don't mind that. What does this ancient lore have to do with what's happening now?"

Ivan still had a look of puzzlement etched on his face, but asked, "Well, you want to know why that angel is prancing around with your brother, yes?"

"Oh my God! Arthur is eating him?! What's that even mean?"

"Do not think of it as eating. Think of it as...hugging somebody's happiness!"

"Do you...hug people's _un_ happiness?"

"No. I have heard it gives us a certain strength, but we have been getting by just fine without it. That is..." The demon's smile grew into a dark giggle, "for the ones that do not know how to walk the surface without being caught."

Matthew patted his knees, dismissing any plotting. "Okay! So this Arthur guy is just here to suck the happiness from my brother, and possibly everyone around him?" _It all makes sense!_

"Maybe."

"Ugh, what do you mean _maybe_?"

Apparently, Matthew's turmoil was amusing. "Hee-hee, that is just _one_ theory! These angels are very cold and secret-secret. It is hard to get good information about them."

Matthew sighed, "Any other _possible_ ideas of what's going on?"

Ivan surprised him by asking, "Do you have any?"

"Um...unless his acting is very good, I would say angels have capable thoughts and feelings, so maybe he's sticking around not only for that...feeding thing you say they do, but also for the companionship?"

"For the...ha-ha! That is silly!" Ivan suddenly became serious with a strong knit of the eyebrows. "Yes...maybe. Some angels wander the surface for a few 'days,' as you call them, while others station themselves amongst humans for much longer than that. Like this Arthur is doing. He has been around here for a _very_ long time."

"Do you know what they are doing?"

"No, as I said before, any attempt to get back on the surface is met with their overwhelming power. That is not what is worrisome, Matthew," Ivan gave his scarf a small tug, and dipped his chin into the fabric. "I think...the angels are taking the humans away."

"What do you mean by...taking them away? Permanently? I thought you said their feeding doesn't kill them-"

"No, no, not feeding. This is something else. Whenever a human dies, an angel takes their soul, and disappears to the skies with it."

"They...what?" Matthew scoffed. "How do you know this?"

"I...asked around in Hell, those who managed to get more than a glimpse of the surface. Yet even they do not know what the infatuation with humans is...for angels, I mean, when it is not for feeding." Ivan smiled. "Unless what you said is true, that the angels are simply curious about your kind just as I am."

"Jeez, Al, what did you get yourself into?"

"Everything is wonderful for them," the demon murmured. "All you can eat? People that praise and want you around? Is it selfish. Why can we not have a little taste of happiness?"

Matthew offered to his ramblings, "Or maybe share?"

"Share?" Ivan lightly snorted. "Sharing is something humans do. If I cannot have everything, I want nothing."

Matthew was unsure what to say, and wound up stammering, "Y-you certainly go all out, don't you?"

"Yes?"

The front door's knob jostled, and there was a muffled groan of irritation on the other end. They both scrambled to their feet, staring at the door with wide eyes. Matthew hissed, "You need to disguise yourself!"

"I know, I know," Ivan grumbled, and ducked into the nearby bathroom.

Matthew hurried to the door, and his brother thumped on the wood, announcing from the other side, "Mattie! I forgot my keys! Mattie!" Then in a small squeak, he pleaded, "Let me in, man!"

"Chill out," Matthew mumbled, and unlocked the door.

When he swung it open, Alfred hurried inside and shoved the door close. He blinked in surprise at his brother, and started slowly, "Hey, Mattie. What's up?"

"Is everything all right?"

"Are you?" His brother glanced around the hall, as if something were going to jump at him.

"You ran out on us at dinner! Dad's _super_ pissed at you. What happened?" Matthew narrowed his eyes and nonchalantly scooted in front of him. Alfred stared, grimacing. "You said you were going to tell me what is going on."

"No, I didn't!"

"So what? I deserve to know."

Alfred stammered, dragging a foot on the ground, "I...I can't say."

"Yes, you can."

"No," Alfred tried going around his brother, but Matthew stepped in the same direction, and back when he went the other way. "Dude."

"Don't 'dude' me. I know something freaky is going on."

"Yeah!" His brother tersely agreed. "I know something freaking freaky is going on."

"Oh, so you are going to play hero games and totally act like I don't care?"

"It's not that, Mattie-"

"Then what is it?!"

Alfred's mouth popped open when his eyes jumped to somewhere else, and he let out a startled gasp, "That's th-the..."

Matthew glanced behind himself, at what his brother was gawking at. Ivan had just emerged from the bathroom, looking human, and stared at the both of the brothers with an innocent smile. "Why is he 'freaking out?'"

Alfred let out a pathetic laugh that went on for a second too long. "Seeing you pop out of nowhere is enough to give me the creeps, dude!"

"Thank you. I am trying my best."

"Ick! Could you like, leave? I got to talk to Mattie." When Ivan simply stood there, unwavering, Alfred punctuated, "You know...alone? Without anybody else in the room?"

Matthew put in, "Maybe he's right. Stop by some other time, okay?"

Ivan sprouted a smile, and announced, "Yes. You will see me again _very_ soon." He grabbed Matthew's hand to tug him closer, and squished his cheek to one of his.

"Uh, uh, yeah, bye." Matthew blinked a few times, somewhat stunned as the man pulled away to duck outside. He gave his face a quick swipe and turned to his brother, who was making funky faces as the door shut behind them. "What?"

" _Pfft_ , nothing."

"Okay...are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

Alfred sucked in a breath through his teeth. "I really want to, Mattie, but-"

Matthew crossed his arms. "And you are going to. Don't even say that I'm not going to believe you, either. I been your brother for nearly eighteen years now. When it comes to you, nearly anything is possible."

Alfred raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's actually kind of uplifting." He took a sniff and straightened. "Okay, fine. Your boyfriend is a demon."

"He's not my boyfriend."

Alfred stared. "Seriously, dude? I just told you there's someone from Hell running around, and _that's_ your first reaction?!"

Matthew shrugged. "I don't think it's that big of a deal."

"You don't think...! Oh...my god. Demon? From Hell? You know, with fiery flames and torturing of souls?" Alfred even performed jazz hands as if that would bring any sense to his brother. "Pitchforks? Red horns?"

"Al, he's nothing like that." _His horns aren't even red._

Alfred lowered his hands. "You...you _knew_?" Before Matthew could manage anything, he sputtered, "And you didn't tell me? What the heck, man! I thought we were bros!"

"We are, Alfred, but what did you do when you first found out what he really is?"

"Um...I kind of screamed, and wanted to cry a little, but I didn't! I was very brave!"

"Exactly. It's not something that I am going to announce over dinner. I wanted to tell you, but I...I didn't know if you knew about angels and demons _actually_ existing, and I didn't feel like jeopardizing Ivan's secret..."

"Angels? You know that Arthur's..."

"The glowing gave it away."

"Right..." Both boys trailed off to gaze at the floor. At least until Alfred's legs started to dance. "Dude! Angels and demons!"

Matthew smiled, slightly stunned. "Uh...yeah!"

"This isn't a normal Sunday night anymore, is it?"

"You can say that again!" _Please don't._

"What are we going to do? We can't let them find out about each other!"

"Huh? Arthur doesn't know Ivan's a demon? Weren't you guys roaming out there together?"

"Well, Artie was all like, 'Yo, there's a demon!' And I was like, 'No way!' But then he's telling me to stay where I am- this was at the restaurant by the way- but I wasn't going to do that when there was a _demon_ flying around!"

Matthew suggested, "How about we go into the living room?"

"Sure thing! You still got the snacks, or did you eat them all?"

"There's still snacks, lard butt."

"Hey!" Alfred let it slide, too engrossed in his story as he flopped on the couch. "So, I ran out to meet him, and let's just say he wasn't really happy with that."

"Surprise, surprise."

"Dude."

Matthew put a hand to his mouth. "Oh, did I say that aloud?"

His brother loudly snapped a potato chip between his teeth. With an occupied mouth, he said, "Then I called you because you know, 'Ah! Demon out on the loose! Stay indoors!' But then Artie ran off saying he went that way, and we got separated. Then your buddy and I almost ran into each other, and I swear I was the less freaked out one."

An unneeded encouragement, "Uh huh."

"It was at this moment I realized who he was, and I thought you had no idea. I thought he had plans to get all chummy with you and then eat your soul or something, but now that I know that you know...he's not going to really do that, is he? Kind of takes away the element of surprise."

Matthew let out a weak laugh. "No, Al. He doesn't eat people. Ivan actually likes chocolate and potatoes. Sometimes both at the same time."

"What?! That's weird! He isn't here to rain fireballs from the sky or anything? I mean, I didn't see him do anything 'bad' so far behind anybody's backs that you'd think a demon would do." Alfred gasped, "Unless he's hatching an evil plan to enslave the whole human race!"

"Al, the first time he came up here, he got stuck in a tree and tore his wing. Before I bought him clothes, he would take them from people's wash lines, even if they didn't fit. He did not see anything wrong with wearing heels. I don't think he has ulterior motives besides his own curiosity."

"I wonder how _that_ 's going to go. He gives me the creeps! Especially when it's late at night and he's all out like that!"

"Yeah, it's...uh, a little surprising if you're not expecting it."

"Wait...did you say he tried to wear heels?"

"Oh, yeah," Matthew pulled out his phone and went to his photos. "I even have a picture of it."

"Are you serious?!" They squished together to stare at the screen. Alfred slowly cracked a grin. "Do you think you can get him to wear a dress?"

"He tried to get me to buy him a bra. He thought it was some kind of shirt, so...probably."

" _Pfft!_ Wow, big, tall fella from the deep pits of the Earth, rocking heels and a dress. I'd pay to see that." Alfred quickly added with an obnoxious laugh, "I mean I'd pay to see and laugh at him."

Matthew tucked his phone away, and shook off the feeling of being offended. He would pay to see that, too, after all. "Of course."

"So does he know about Arthur?"

"With the glowing thing? It's hard not to."

Alfred seemed disappointed. "Oh."

"That doesn't mean Ivan's out of control. It's like..." Matthew tried putting it in terms that his brother would appreciate, "He's the only guy on the player's team sneaking in a base crawling with high tech villains. If he would tip off one, they'd all go off and find him."

"Whoa! He definitely better not be planning anything, or else he'll have to answer to me, too, for messing with my bro!" Alfred pumped his hands out in fake punches. "One, two!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure he doesn't want that." Matthew took the opportunity to steal a chip, which broke his brother out of his practice moves with an exclamation of lost. He looked to the blank television screen, then back to his brother. "Are you going to bed anytime soon?"

"It's a school night...we really should..."

Both busted into laughter. "Come on, you said you'd play video games with me! Technically, it's still the weekend."

Alfred snatched one of the controllers from the litter of empty snack bags and other remotes and grunted like a barbarian, "Me Player 1!"

"Of course."

Just as they flicked on the TV screen, the ceiling creaked. Both brothers froze, gawking at one another in rising horror. A door upstairs creaked open, and footsteps marched down the hall, closer to the stair case. It was too late for them when they realized, "Dad's coming!"


	16. I Am Very Creative With These Titles

"What. Are. You. Two. Doing?!"

Both boys jumped and yelped at the sound of their father's voice. They twisted on the couch to gawk at him loom in the living room doorway and glaring with dreary eyes. Alfred squeaked, "D-Dad!"

Francis did not take his eyes off of Alfred as he said, "Go to bed, _Matthieu."_

"Papa-"

"Go, Matthew," he said in a more aggressive tone. Matthew obediently nodded and scrambled off the couch. Francis only leaned away, and his son squeezed against the frame as if touching his father would cause him to lash out at him. He tripped on the steps as he scurried upstairs, not bothering to eavesdrop in favor of escaping to his bedroom.

His lock twisted with a relieving _click,_ and Matthew turned around to face his bedroom. He realized a great shape was lying on his bed, and he demanded in the dark, "How long have you been here?!"

The shape did not reply. He quietly padded across his room, and gave the beast a nudge to the shoulder. It let out a low grunt, but did not move. Matthew told him, "You're such a creeper, you know that?"

He walked back to his door and flicked on the light. As expected, Ivan became animated with a little snort and picked up his head. "Could you turn back on the dark? The light hurts my eyes."

"I need that light to see. Here, I'll turn on my dresser lamp, but I'll shut off the ceiling lights." Matthew proceeded to do that, and then propped against his dresser to watch his company stir on his bed, but did not make much effort to rise from his lazy position.

"I climbed through your window as soon as I was shooed. Did you get any information from your brother?"

Matthew looked down at his feet, curling and uncurling his toes. "Yeah, actually. He knows about you now, and I told him I know about Arthur."

"Ah, how did that go?"

"Much better than I expected! I managed to persuade him that you're not going to cause mass destruction, so please don't make me look like an idiot, and no angels will have to know about your secret."

"Is that...what is the word? Is that a blackmail, Matthew?" Instead of being offended or angry about the situation, Ivan was rather amused. "Your kindness distracts me from your inner thoughts."

"Damn, you're onto me. I meant to warn you, actually. It's Alfred you need to be careful around. With any little reason for thinking that you have any other motives other than your curiosity, he'll try to fight you."

"Really?" Ivan asked a bit too enthusiastically. "A fight would be interesting..."

"Oh, so would answering to Arthur?"

The demon dug at the horn curling from the side of his head. "Ah, maybe not. Temper often hides in small packages." He suddenly pulled himself to sit and face Matthew. "So, I cannot have any other plans besides sight seeing?"

"I may be able to come up with something to my brother, but that depends. What are you plotting?"

Ivan smiled cheekily and held out a hand. "Go to Hell with me?"

Matthew blurted, "Didn't you just come from there?"

"Yes. Why do you return to your home from that school place when you have to go back the next sunrise? Besides, Hell is my home, and I can show you around like you have done with me around your home."

"Are you sure?!"

"Of course, I am sure. I am asking if you are sure if you want to see all this...fire and people screaming like your kind seems bent on believing it has."

Matthew pushed from his dresser to uncertainly hover closer to the demon. "Would I be able to come back?"

"Yes!" Ivan replied a bit tersely. He slightly shook his head and reaffixed his smile. "I keep coming back, do I not?"

"Yeah, but aren't you used to pitchfork wielding demons?"

"Pitchforks? Why would be have pitchforks? Demons fight tooth and claw. It is the most honorable way to do so." Ivan gleefully assured, "Not that anybody will be able to _think_ about using them on you."

"That's...nice of you. How about...the afterlife for the sinful? People tortured for all eternity?"

Ivan opened his mouth to reply seriously, but lost himself to heavy laughter. Matthew's face grew hot as he hit his forehead a few times. "Matthew thinks demons do not have anything else to do!" He straightened from lingering giggles, "We do not get human visitors that often. How could people possibly get there without wings? You need wings to get down into Hell."

"Or a bungee cord," Matthew put in. He swished a hand, dismissing his confusing suggestion. "Never mind that."

"Is there anything else, or would you like to see it for yourself?"

"I'm not a demon, though, and I can't cloak myself to be one-"

Ivan stared with a blank expression.

"I'm a little more cautious than you to dive into potential danger, Ivan."

"Yes, yes, I know. There are risks, but if you listen to me as I have listened to you, and do not make your own plots, then you will come out in one piece."

"Hm," Matthew set his jaw in a thoughtful manner, causing the demon to tip his head expectantly. "They don't have pancakes in Hell, I suppose?"

"No, but you can bring snacks."

"A lot of water, too."

"I do not believe obtaining water is a great problem in Hell, but if you insist..."

"Hm," Matthew hummed again, staring at the ceiling.

Ivan let out a low growl, but not with malicious intent. "I will let you think about it."

"Let's go now."

The demon turned around from approaching the bed. "I meant to leave now."

Matthew shrugged. "Oh. That works!"

Ivan drew up to him with an excited grin but a hard fix in his eyes. "We go now, yes?"

"I should back some bags, first," Matthew giggled from the proximity, and brushed by him to grab his backpack he was supposed to use for school from underneath his bed. He unzipped it, flipped it over, and dumped its contents on his mattress.

Ivan moved out of the way, watching him dig through drawers, his closet, and even swoop into the bathroom to grab anything he thought he may need. Matthew doubted they had toilet paper or tooth paste in Hell, and he wanted to be safe than sorry. "In Hell," he murmured under his breath, and his company tilted his head, trying to listen to what he said.

 _Is this a late onslaught of rebellious thought?_ Matthew glanced up at the sound of his friend lightly laughing, and smiled. The demon drifted to the dresser, and reached in the top drawer the boy left open. "Hey!" He squeaked, and snatched the pair of boxers Ivan dangled in his hand and shoved them into the bag.

"Do you like the flowers I gave you? I looked for a long time for all of them!"

Matthew did a double take to his friend. "Then I can't say no, can I?" When Ivan furrowed his eyebrows, he announced, "I'm pulling your leg. Of course I like them. They...uh...make my room smell pretty?" Before his company could say anything else, he muttered, "Water. Um, you should stay in here. I'll be back in a few minutes, and if you hear anyone else coming, hide."

"Okie dokie!" Ivan called out, and Matthew closed the door behind himself.

Alfred was thumping up the stairs, grumbling to himself. His brother pressed against the wall to let him pass, and called out, "Hey, Al."

"I got yelled at."

"You _did_ do something stupid, though."

Alfred's stumped expression told him that he hated it, but Matthew was right. "Yeah," he struggled for words. He wound up with, "Yeah. I'm going to bed now."

"All right. Good night," Matthew gave his brother a quick hug, but Alfred did not respond. He pulled away with a small shake of his head, and glided down the stairs. He peeked into the living room, and saw his father's long hair sticking out from resting on one of the couch's arms.

"Dad, Dad!" Matthew lightly prodded Francis' shoulders. His father snapped his head up with an irritable grunt. "Go upstairs. You'll get a sore neck sleeping like that. Come on, I'll help."

Matthew streaked down the steps once more, becoming more impatient after he ambled to the upper floor with his father in tow. Francis fell onto his bed, on the covers, barely making it before falling asleep right away. The bottles and containers stored in the refrigerator rattled as the teen threw open the door, and his gaze jumped to the carton of water bottles. He grabbed five and zipped up the stairs with a giggle of delight from the soft whooshing sounds in his ears.

His brother swung open his bedroom door right in front of him, and one of the bottles slipped out of his arms. Alfred jumped a little and swooped down to grab it. "Hey, what are you doing with all this water, Mattie?"

"Um," Matthew shifted so his brother could press it down between his folded arms and chest. "I don't want to keep going downstairs to get water when I'm all the way up here, so I'm taking a whole bunch."

"Whoa, that's a good idea!" Both snickered for a moment before Alfred let out a big sigh. "I don't know, Mattie. It feels kind of wrong to have a _demon_ running around." He held up his hands to stop Matthew when his mouth opened. "I know, I know, not all of them are homicidal, sinful maniacs, but Ivan doesn't seem like the guy to gladly listen to other people telling him what to do."

"I'm not telling him what to do. I'm giving him suggestions, and it would be stupid of him not to listen. He's in a pan over a cold burner, and he knows that if he instigates the angels, there will be heat."

It was very tough, but Alfred gave a little nod, if that was him accepting the current situation. "I guess. I mean, if you say so." He hesitated, but then awkwardly put his arm around Matthew's shoulder for a nice moment. "Give me a holler if he tries anything funny."

Matthew grinned and elbowed his brother in his side, as much as he could with all those water bottles. "Sure, Al. Goodnight."

"'Night."

Matthew leaned against his door and fumbled with the knob, cursing lightly. The door opened suddenly, and Ivan smiled at him. " _Shh,_ Alfred is in the bathroom next door."

"Okie dokie," Ivan put a finger to his lips, and they both giggled. "Matthew, it makes me happy that you have so much faith in me. I do not get to say that often."

 _And just like that, my train of thought has left the station._ "Uh...uh, yeah!" Matthew said a bit too high pitched. "You're welcome."

Ivan poked his nose and turned back to stuff the book bag down to close it, while lightly laughing. Matthew shoved loose stands of hair from his face and stuck out his tongue at his company while his head was turned.

"Is everything ready to go? Are you ready to go?"

Matthew broke out of his stupor, and looked to his luggage as if it had the answers. "I think so. Wait, I'm taking my wallet with me. I want to go to the convenience store before...our little trip. Is that okay?"

"Anything is fine, Matthew."

Matthew lightly cleared his throat, and kept his eyes glued to the floor as he grabbed the bulky backpack. "Are _you_ ready to go?"

"My wings are still working."

"When we get outside, we'll have to act normal." Matthew looked up into the demon's face, "Can you do that?"

Ivan easily countered, "Can you?"

"You got me." Matthew quickly fled his proximity to approach the window. "Are we getting out through here? There's always the front door, but both are risky. Sprained ankle, or chance of being caught?"

"Me catching you, or Alfredo screaming like a young girl?"

"Window it is," Matthew decided, and grasped the bottom of the pane. His face scrunched when the plastic squawked louder than usual, tattling of their grand escape. Then he realized that he was being secretive, and smacked his palms to the dusty sill. "Wow, I forgot to tell my brother I'm going away for a little bit."

"Did you...want to tell him?"

Matthew scratched the back of his neck with a puzzled expression. "I think he'll realize I'm with you since we'll both be gone."

"You think he is going to take that well?"

"I'm not doing anything bad...besides running off with a demon and plunging into the deep depths of Hell where I may never emerge. Wow, if I say it aloud, it sounds really bad, doesn't it?"

Ivan gave a little shrug. "It sounds normal to me. I go first," he nudged Matthew from the window, and stuck his head out into the night air. He took deep whiffs as a light breeze rolled in. "I do not smell the angel nearby, but we should not linger any longer than we have to."

Matthew sharply inhaled as the demon slipped out of the window and landed stealthily and much more gracefully than he had when cloaked. He held out his arms and gave them a little bob, signaling he was ready. The boy pushed his back pack out the opening and watched his friend catch it, cradling the bag for a confused moment, before slinging it over a shoulder.

"Um..." Matthew stared at the ground all around Ivan, anywhere and everywhere he could fall. Ivan shook his hands, urging him. " _Aïe_!" He cried as he shoved himself out into the night with his sneakers clipping the window sill.

The breath flew out his lungs, and he bobbed a bit as Ivan absorbed the weight. "Hah...I made it!" Matthew raised his arms in triumph. "I did not splat on the grass!"

"As if I would let that happen," the demon set him on the ground to crouch for a moment. He launched into the air, yanked the window closed, and landed with a loud _thump._ Then, he violently shuddered from his surplus appendages shimmering out of sight. "Store of convenience next?"

"Whoa," Matthew grinned stupidly. "Yeah, that was cool."

Ivan poked his nose again. "We have to act normal, remember? Once we get into the sewers, however, I can let my cloak drop."

"S-sewers?" Matthew began walking when a strong hand gave his back a few pats. "Oh, ew. I forgot that you mentioned that. How's that work out?"

"Do you want me to ruin _all_ the surprises?"

"There is a difference between being prepared, and being spoiled," Matthew lightly retorted. A car zipped pass them on the main road, and they looked both ways before sprinting to the other walkway. His legs shook as he walked. "This is probably one of the worst things I have ever done as a teenager. You know, since we're expected to go out and do crazy stuff."

Ivan gave him a confused look. "Like going to Hell?"

Matthew guffawed, slapping a hand to his mouth at how loudly his laugher echoed. "Sneaking out, but yeah, I think my dad would pull out all his beautiful and luxurious hair if he found out _where_ I am going. Can't let him find out about that, eh?"

Both walked in a content silence. Matthew appreciated the cold, nightly air while he still could. His heart thumped with nervousness and excitement as they approached the convenience store. It would not be long until he found out how hot "Hot as Hell" would really be.

The cashier snapped up from leaning on the counter with his elbows, blinking in surprise at late night customers. Ivan followed Matthew, simply because he did not know where else to go. The teen grabbed a few of his favorite candies and snacks before paying and leaving within minutes of entering.

"That was quick," Ivan said. "You know your way around."

Matthew shrugged, keeping his eyes on the concrete. "It's a small town."

Ivan gave him a disgruntled look, but without acknowledgement, he turned his attention to the dark sky. He sucked in a noisy breath and spun around moments before Matthew flinched from a sudden whoosh, much like a bird flapping its wings, if it were very loud and very close. "Matthew, we have a little problem."

Matthew tightened his grip on his bag of snacks, and turned around much more calmly to investigate what his company spotted. Arthur was approaching the duo, as if he was out for a casual stroll and wished to catch up to them. _Totally not suspicious,_ especially to the knowing eye.

A docile smile blessed Arthur's cheeks, and he started, "Good evening gentlemen. It is rather late to be roaming the streets, don't you think?"

"Likewise," Matthew lightly shot back before Ivan could open his mouth and spew out something that would compromise their plans. He pressed closer to him, nonchalantly trying to hide the book bag slung over one of Ivan's shoulders, and hooked onto his coat sleeve to make it seem more casual. "Just taking a nightly stroll, you know."

Despite the tenseness surrounding him, Ivan let out a small giggle as Arthur's eyes jumped to their hands flirting with one another. "Ah, I see. Sorry to just barge in like this. I was looking for your brother. Do you know where he is?"

"Oh, he's been home for a while. We, uh, said goodnight to each other before I left to go the gas station." Matthew held up his bag and lightly laughed. "Got some late night snacking to do."

Arthur glanced to Ivan, probably expecting him to say something, but the other man only smiled in agreement. "That little bugger did not even send me a message!" He shook his head, "Ah, well, I suppose I'll let you two at it. Stay safe."

As he turned around and hurried down the block, Matthew slowly backed away in the opposite direction, towing Ivan along, who stared at Arthur's back until he turned out of sight. "Now that was a creeper!"

Matthew teased another, more realistic snicker from his friend. "Yes, those angels are nosy ones. You are very good at lying. I do not believe he suspected a thing!"

"You really think so?!" Matthew twisted to the side to toss a glance over his shoulder. They were not being followed, as far as he could see.

Ivan gave his hand a firm squeeze. "Do not start to make evil plans beneath my nose, Matthew."

Matthew made a strong expression of surprise. "Damn, you caught me before I even started."

After strolling in peace for a while, Ivan began to tug and wander toward the middle of the road. Matthew pulled on his arm each time he went astray. "What are you doing? You're going to get ran over!"

"Then you will have a pancake you love so much! Ha-ha, 'get' it? Flat as a pancake?" Ivan tried. He held up his free arm defensively when Matthew let go of his hand to pummel his fists at him. "Leg pulling! I am pulling legs! I need to find a gate!"

Matthew ceased his half hearted attacks. "A gate? A fence gate?"

"No, a gate in the middle of the road. Look, there is one!" Ivan swung his head in both directions and after a car zoomed pass them, he jogged into the middle of the road.

"Aren't those things really heavy? Oh," Matthew grimaced as the man knelt down, and with a small grunt, lifted the lid from the street.

"Yes, it is. Hurry, Matthew. Those vehicles will not wait."

"Is there some other..." Matthew casted nervous glances around the road, "more sanitary way to get to Hell?"

"Unless you know of one, no." Ivan shook the manhole cover, urging him down the ladder.

Matthew blanched and knelt down, the asphalt pricking his palms as he put one foot on the ladder's prong. "Ew, ew, ew," he hissed, and begrudgingly descended. Ivan quickly swooped down as well, and the tunnel was plunged into darkness when the cover fell into place. The teen gasped and let out a breathy yell from a vehicle running above them and it reverberated their dark surroundings.

Something clattered above him, and ran down his back, making Matthew freeze from silent terror and clutch onto the notches for his life. Ivan splashed into the mush below. "Let go, Matthew. I will catch you again."

Matthew squeaked embarrassingly, "No, thanks!"

"'No thanks?' But we walked this far!" Ivan grabbed the waistline of Matthew's jeans and easily plucked him from the damp ladder. Matthew took a shaky inhale as he fell to scream, but cut off when he hit Ivan's arms once again. "Are you...breathing?"

"Yeah..." Matthew rubbed his chest through his hoodie. "Just trying to start my heart again."

"It sounds like it is working."

"For now, for now." Matthew's eyes jumped around the darkness, useless, but he could feel and hear that Ivan was walking though the tunnel. "Um...I can walk, you know."

"So can I!"

"Aren't you gonna put me down?"

"Oh, so you would like your shoes to get wet? They do not look like they would hold water well." Ivan sighed, "If you want me to-"

"No, no, no!" Matthew's hands scrambled to latch onto something when Ivan started to kneel closer to the foul water. His hand jerked back when they brushed something stemming from the side of the man's head. "Whoa! Are these..." He groped at the new growths, and his voice echoed, "Your horns came back!"

"Yes, they did! Hey!" Ivan jerked his head to the side. "That tickles!"

"You can feel that?"

"Yes..."

Matthew pinched the smallest part of the strange appendages sticking out a little bit from curling under itself. "Can you feel that, too?"

"They are attached to my skull, Matthew. I can feel anything that happens to them. Even you petting them, but just a little."

"Oh, jeez, I didn't mean to be weird!" Matthew's voice crumbled to a mutter, "I was just curious."

A breathy giggle broke through the sounds of feet sloshing through disgusting water, and Ivan adjusted his arms around his luggage. "You can be curious if you want to..."

"Oh!" Matthew put the jacket sleeve that was not hooked around Ivan's neck to his nose. "Are you sure you are all right with carrying me? I'm not the lightest guy out there, and I don't want to bother you-"

"Matthew, you will bother me if you persist with those unnecessary worries."

"Oh, sorry." Matthew pressed his face into his company's shoulders and squeezed his eyes closed, since it was nearly pitch black at the moment. He asked that to be nice, like offering somebody a morsel even though he had intentions of eating the whole thing. His ride was sturdy, and he rather enjoyed not having to walk through sewer fluids when other people were more willing. Although he could not see it, the metal walls of the tunnel were swallowed by a cavern of rock, and the sludge flowing in the middle grew more shallow as it split into different directions. "Are we almost there, at least?"

"We are travelling below the Earth's surface. It is going to take a considerable amount of time. Ah, but that drop goes by quickly, so I should not include it."

"Drop? Um, what do you mean by 'drop?'"

Ivan only chuckled darkly.

"Okay, I decided that I do not like surprises."

"What a shame," his sigh was interrupted with another laugh. "We are at the best part, too." He did not miss the small beams of ebbing light peeking through a series of rocks on the ground. Without warning, he let go of Matthew's legs, who yelped when his feet hit the damp floor.

"Hey! Oh, There's light..." Matthew blinked in surprise at the sound of stone being shifted. The soft glows of brightness intensified as the boulders were rolled away with heavy grunts. "Wow!" He backed away from the sight of a vast ocean of lava at least two American football fields below from where they were.

A great wave of heat drifted up into the cool sewers, and Ivan took a deep inhale. "Ah, that is nicer on the nose than those biting winds you call Winter." After a few moments of staring at the bubbling liquid, he turned to Matthew. "Can you handle a little bit of heat?"


	17. Chapter 16

"A little bit of heat?" Matthew echoed in a pitch that was a bit too high for his liking. He nonchalantly scooted away from the cliff of rocks, but any choice of regret was stolen from him as Ivan scooped him up and leaped into the opening. He shoved his face into the demon's scarf, too terrified to persuade him not to drop him into the searing magma that was approaching way too fast. Suddenly, just when he could imagine that his body caught on fire from the heat, Ivan's wings shot out from his back, cutting the air as they swooped downward. His luggage could only grip his jacket tighter as he shot upwards with the motion, and down again as they descended toward a long stretch of ground.

Ivan roughly landed on the bridge of soot reaching out into a wide lake of lava, and stumbled forward with the encumbrance of both their weights. He hissed between his teeth as he dug his feet into the squishy ground, and was able to stop himself from completely messing up the landing within feet of another small drop off into the lava. He let out a shaky laugh, "That was a close one!"

When Matthew did not reply, or even move for that matter, Ivan shifted to plant put his luggage on the ground and began peeling the fingers latched onto his scarf. "Matthew?" He pushed on the teen's shoulders and even poked the side of his face. "Are you broken?"

Something had to snap during that fall before feeling began creeping back into his legs. Matthew slowly shifted his gaze from staring down the front of Ivan's coat to the side, where an ocean of ever shifting magma threatened them with its sizzling and popping. Already, he could feel he began to sweat, and let go of his grasp to swipe his forehead and prod at his glasses that stayed on his face from burying it into the crook of Ivan's neck. When he glanced up to the spot they had dropped, his eyes felt warpy, and then he finally managed, "I think I left my stomach up there."

Ivan craned his head back to look up, too, and seemed much more pleased from the ordeal. "Did you want me to go get it?" He ducked to the side with another laugh, expecting Matthew to playfully swing at him again, but the teen only uneasily smiled, and that was a struggle to keep.

"I think I can go on." Matthew peeked behind himself and quickly looked away from the red-orange lake. "I guess the only way is forward?"

"Or into the fire, but I do not think either of us want that."

"Please no."

"Oh? Are you going to be sick?"

"No, I hope not. I just got to..." Matthew dug at his sweatshirt, and peeled it from himself with a big sigh of relief. "Oh, so much better." He affixed his glasses and tilted his head in question at the demon gazing back with a soft smile. "What?"

"Is the heat bothering you already?"

"No," Matthew lied. It was hot; they were surrounded by sea of molten rock. Of course the heat was bothering him! However, if Ivan braved through the icy winter, then he wanted to show he could handle himself, too. "I was just taking off my sweater, since we're not dealing with snow anymore."

"Okie-dokie." Ivan stayed in place when Matthew dug around the back bag that was slung around his shoulder to shove his overshirt inside. "If you need to take anything else off, I understand."

Matthew gave his bag a decent push to urge forward, away from the boiling pools. "Hush. You wouldn't want to see that."

"Who says?"

"Hey, be quiet, you..." Matthew glanced up again for a good comeback, but huddled closer in worry when he noticed the many stalactites pointing at their heads. "Let's get going...where ever we need to go." _This place is creepy, but it's quiet_. When he stepped outside his house, even in the dead of winter, the wind blew in his ears, and cars rumbled on the road. Besides the shifting of rocks against magma, the hot air was eerily silent. "Where is everybody? Aren't there other demons?"

"Yes, when we get to my home, you will see my sisters."

"I mean other demons, just flying around, or even animals for that matter."

Ivan did not reply, so Matthew hurried to his side to peer at his face. He had his usual smile against his cheeks, but kept his gaze forward whether or not he noticed the eyes on him.

"Ivan?"

"They are not here anymore."

"What do you mean? Did they die?"

His smile grew limp. "No, they left."

Matthew was certainly curious, but did not press the subject with the terse answers he was getting. Besides, a dark and enormous building stood against the nearby mountain, catching his attention. "Whoa...don't tell me. That's yours?"

Ivan immediately brightened again with an uplift of his cheeks. "What would you like me to tell you, then?"

"It's huge!" As they drew closer to the long and rough walls, this place was certainly larger up close. "Wow, it's as tall as..." Matthew held a hand out with his mouth gaped open, "It's as tall as a really tall thing. I'm not good with analogies."

"That is fine. We need space to stretch our wings, do we not? You humans build everything so...narrow and short."

"I can only imagine what is inside."

Ivan slowed to put a hand against Matthew's lower back. "You will find out soon enough. Stay close to me for the time being."

Matthew did not look away from eying the grooves running up the building's walls to the carved holes to pose as empty windows. "Yeah, I was planning on it."

Suddenly, Ivan kicked a middle section to the front doors that were at least twice his height, and the center popped inward. The side parts swung out from the force, revealing a grand hall leading inside the building. He strode into his home, but then stopped halfway to the next doorway to watch his guest scrutinize everything, from the stems and leaves engraved on the columns supporting the ceiling to the simple benches against the walls.

"Amazing..." Matthew took a step back when he realized the lines looping around the ceiling where not mindless scratches. "These pillars...and those designs up there! They're giant flowers!"

"You like them? I had them put in very recently."

"Since when?"

"Around the time we first met."

"Right, recently..."

"Matthew, this is just the entrance hall. Are we going to stay in here long? The journey was tiring, and there are more rooms..."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry." _They're just walls...walls that no other human has possibly ever seen before with their own eyes!_ Yes, even looking at the walls proved to be an experience, but like Ivan hinted, there were other parts of the house to see. Matthew hurried to his side to urge him to continue.

The next doorway opened to an octagonal (Matthew counted each side) room with more archways below railings that was the second floor overlooking what happened below. All the way at the other end of the room, two grand chairs sat beside one another, dark and largely built just like everything else. Matthew raised his eyebrows at the rich red seats. "A throne room. You have a throne room. This is what these are for, right?"

Ivan seemed surprised at his vocal observation. "Yes?"

"Um, yeah!" Matthew lightly scoffed at the demon's bemused expression, and circled around the chairs, tempted to sit on their wide and soft looking cushions, but did not dare to hint at his desires. _He stole clothes off of other people's washlines at one point, and was starved enough to eat a half of a pot of Dad's stew. Yet he has all of this?!_ "I didn't know you were filthy rich."

"Filthy? Matthew, I practice good hygiene habits-"

"It's a figure of speech."

Ivan clamped his mouth shut, momentarily stunned. "Of course. Are we going to go on now?"

"Do you use these? Like, do you sit in these chairs and boss people around?"

"No, that can be done anywhere, but I am sure the parents of my parents often used them."

"So they're just decoration now? How come?"

Ivan looked up to the railings wrapping around the top half of the room, and kept his gaze directed away from the chairs and Matthew. "Because I do not sit in them a lot? I do not know what you want me to say."

"Well, I mean since you have chairs here, why don't you sit in them anymore?"

"We do not get many visitors around here, so there is no need to stay in this room."

"Oh, so this is like a greeting area?"

"Yes. Are you ready to move on now?"

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows at the unnecessary urgency, but bobbled his head. "Yeah, where to next?"

"To my...what do you call it? A bedroom? I would like to rest soon."

"All right then. If I think about it, I'm getting a little tired, too. We'll see the rest tomorrow...um, whenever we wake up, right?"

Ivan let off a small sigh of relief, "Of course. The stairs are this way."

Into the adjacent room, Matthew groaned at the sight of the steps twisting in a spiral up to the next floor. "Even the stairs are fancy."

"Thank you."

Besides that, the duo was quiet from fatigue and awe. The center of the upper floor was the wrap around balcony that overlooked the throne room, but the floor around the railing led to various doors and another wide hall that led to a lounge area. It was unusual for Matthew to look forward to waking up, since getting out of bed was awful, but there was so much to explore and so much to do. He wandered after Ivan who led him to a single door that did not stand out amongst any others they had passed.

Ivan adjusted the backbag that was against his shoulder while opening the door and stepping inside. He stopped to look back at Matthew frozen in the doorway. "You can come in."

"This bedroom is bigger than the ground floor of my house, Ivan," Matthew shook his head from the exaggeration. "Are they all like this? How many bedrooms do you even have?"

"There are three others. You will stay in mine while you are here, okay?"

Matthew glanced to the vast cushion with near black drapes bunched around the pillars surrounding it. "If that means I can sleep on that, then I have no problem."

"That is were you are supposed to sleep." Ivan slipped the back pack off and plopped it onto the mattress with a roll of his shoulders. He turned to his guest to put a hand on top of his head. "Silly Matthew."

Matthew grinned and shrugged off his hand. He was going to ask how bedtime sounded at the moment, but noticed a figure standing in a corner at the end of the room. At first, he thought it was a statue, until the she-demon slowly blinked. Her hands clenched into fists that balled up the hem of her skirt. He quickly glanced back to Ivan with a nervous smile. "Would that be one of your sisters lurking in the corner?"

Ivan gasped and whirled to face the occupied corner, but the stranger had spoke first, "Brother, you have returned. Why did you not take me with you if you were going to hunt for so long?"

Her brother looked behind himself in horror at Matthew's confused face. "Matthew is not food!"

When the she-demon's blank expression shifted to him, Matthew's arms erupted in a fury of goose bumps despite the pressing heat around him. The lady seemed mildly shocked at Ivan's horror. "He is not? Then why bring a human all the way here? Is he a slave?"

"Not any of that sort!"

She pushed from the wall, marching toward the pair with a flurry of angry steps, and Ivan held out an arm and backed away as she came forward. "You are not going to eat him, either, Natalia, okay?"

"What?" His sister, Natalia, stopped her looming in disgust. "I would never eat a human. I would not be able to get the taste from my teeth or mind. You said you were bringing a visitor of some sort. I thought of a pet, not...one of them."

"Um..." Matthew did not know what to say without provoking the fierce woman to rip out his throat, if the thought had crossed her mind.

Before he could think of something to persuade Natalia not use those claws of hers, Ivan pushed him behind himself. "Matthew is a friend. He will stay with us for a little while."

"What is...'a little while?' What will you do with him after a while?"

Ivan let out a tired sigh, but before he could explain anything, the bedroom door flew open and bounced off the wall. _Another_ she-demon stood in the doorway with a deeply touched expression, who probably was the other sister. "Vanya! I have scented you returned!" The newcomer's light expression fell from her round face to confusion. "Why did you not tell us you came back, and so soon, too?"

Without taking her glare off of her brother, Natalia announced, "Brother has brought a human with him!"

The newcomer gasped and looked to Ivan, then down to his feet. "Is that why you have another set of legs behind yours?"

Matthew peered from behind the demon's shoulder, still aware of the wings stretching protectively around him. "Yeah, hi."

"Oh!" The other sister took a few steps forward, but stopped without getting too close, curious yet cautious. "What is this about?"

Ivan said, "The both of you should leave."

"But-"

"Get out of my bedroom! We will talk of this later!"

Matthew cringed against Ivan's back from the sudden demand. The room seemed to get just a bit darker, and just a bit colder, which was funny when it should have not been, since he was in Hell. _Not the best start._

Natalia curled her upper lip, "Yes, we will. Irunya and I will be waiting in the food hall...whenever is convient for you." She stomped to the door, snapping, "Irunya!" when her sister hesitated to hover worryingly over the mysterious presence their brother was shielding from them.

Both she-demons left quickly, and once the door closed, Ivan and Matthew let out sighs of relief, and the former dully noted, "I was hoping that would go much more better than it did."

"Ivan, if I'm not welcomed here-"

Ivan spun around to face Matthew. "I am the one that let you in, not Irunya or Natalia. If I say you are welcome, then you are."

 _It certainly does not feel like it so far._ Matthew stared at his feet so the attitude would not show on his face. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I...it's the nice thing to do."

"Oh?" was all the demon said, and glanced down to watch him press the toe of his shoe into the floor absentmindedly. He momentarily raised his arms in an open gesture, but quickly retreated them when Matthew raised his head. "I should be apologizing."

"No, you don't have to. Siblings can be difficult, and if it's anyone that knows that, it's us." It felt unnatural to take a step back to let Ivan alone with ferocious women. "You're going to talk to them now?"

"Yes," Ivan glanced to his bed, forlorn. "It looks like sleep will have to wait."

"Do you want me to come with?"

"I like that you offered, but I think it will be easier if you stayed here."

A shy smile sprouted on Matthew's face when the demon leaned forward to press one of his cheeks to his, and Matthew patted his friend's chest in a 'You can do it!' manner. _Everytime he does that, I swear for a second he is going to kiss me. Oh no, don't look at his lips. Don't-_ Ivan pulled away with a short but content laugh and Matthew's eyes immediately dropped- _Damn it!_

"Sleep. I have a lot of things I want to do when we wake up."

"Uh...uh huh. Yeah." Matthew glanced up, and Ivan raised his eyebrows. He wagged his head side to side. "Yeah! If things get difficult, just give a holler. Yeah..." He spun around and walked to his book bag on the bed for a distraction.

Ivan closed the bedroom door behind him, and Matthew slapped his palms to his face, letting out a muffled but fustrated yell. "He's a freaking demon, from the freaking fiery pits of Hell! Come on, Matthew!" His shoulders slouched, and he dropped his hands from his face. "Like that stopped anything before."

Matthew gave the bag's zipper an irritable tug before digging out his pajamas. He held out a full silk night set, a courteous birthday present from his father, but with the constant heat and no air conditioners, he decided to simply peel off his jeans, and leave it at that before snatching his cell phone from the back pocket. Once he crawled all the way to the head of the bed, he swished a hand in front of his face. "Wow, it's _really_ hot in here."

A glance to his phone's screen, "I don't suppose I'll get phone service down here." Matthew frowned at the red words "NO SIGNAL" across the screen. "I hope Alfred doesn't call the police to look for me..."

Or worse; an angel filled to the brim with demon-be-gone.

"I am here now." Matthew shifted his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. _And that was very, very stupid decision._ He could hear the "I knew it!" from common sense, but worried more about plucking the lens off his face and setting them on the mattress far enough where they would not be crushed.

His mind flicked back to Ivan again, wondering if he had felt the same, constant worry that something or someone was going to leap for him with no apparent reason. He twisted around to scan the room. There were no windows, but there were a pair of doors with holes designed in them; perfect oppurtunity for creepers to peep inside! Matthew looked to the curtains bunched in a corner of the bed, and leaped to his feet on top of the mattress to yank them open. The dark cloth surrounded the entire frame, shrouding the bed into a comfortable darkness, and he flopped onto his rear end, admiring his handiwork.

Then he proceeded to pass out.


	18. Yummy :)

Matthew awoke disturbed from the dampness on the sheets beneath him. He picked up his head with his face scrunched and muttered, "Ew." He lifted the collar of his shirt and sniffed, but due to his cologne, it did not smell as bad as it felt. Still pinching his top, he shook it in hopes of generating a cool current over his chest.

The lump of blankets beside him snorted, and he tensed, glancing to the side. Of course, without his glasses, everything two feet from his nose was a blur, so he patted around the mattress for them. Once situated, he propped himself by an elbow, smiling at his still-sleeping bedmate. With the enormous wings sprouting from his shoulder blades, it was no wonder that Ivan was a stomach sleeper, but his face was turned away from Matthew. That may have been a good thing, since he would probably stare until the demon awakened.

Scratch that. He would definitely stare, proved in his gaze hooked onto the back of Ivan's head. His free hand shook his shirt again so it would not creep across the space between them, and it beat the heat, until his hand became tired. Matthew sighed and flopped onto his back. As his eyes flickered from his bedmate's sleeping form to the dark canopy above their heads, his mind went to his family, worrying if they were worrying, but as he said, it was a bit too late for regrets.

Besides, nothing tried to eat Matthew yet, so the best case scenario was still going, which would end with a quiet return trip and persuading Alfred to look the other way while their father remained oblivious overseas. As with all siblings, his brother irritated him from Hell and back, but now that he was in Hell, he was feeling the distance, and it felt awkward to wake up without his brotherly alarm. It was simply too quiet.

Matthew picked up his head again when a terrible idea popped in his mind that was related to his current thoughts. He turned over and pushed himself to sit up, still gazing at the demon's relaxed from. A door opening, feet pattering toward him on a soft carpet; he wondered if Ivan could feel a sense of foreboding like he did just before his brother awoke him.

'Awoke' him by leaping onto his sleeping body, in which Matthew shrunk to the side and lunged forward to do just that. He landed between the demon's wings with his entire weight and excitedly patted his shoulders and arms. "Wakey, wakey-"

His greeting was cut off by the body beneath his giving a great jerk as it awakened, then a loud, sudden snarl as he was flipped off of Ivan's back and onto the mattress again. Before Matthew could blink or even react, his wrists were roughly pinned to both sides of his head, and a seriously _pissed_ demon was glaring down from above. "Uh..." a hollow voice came from Matthew's throat, "Good morning? Or afternoon..."

Ivan furrowed his eyebrows, and whispered, "Matthew?"

"Yeah?"

He lightly snorted, perhaps in disbelief, before recoiling away. Not making any sudden movements, Matthew sat up and rubbed his wrists. He glanced up and down Ivan's back, waiting for him to say something, but he lifted his hands to scrub at his face without a word.

"I'm so sorry," Matthew began weakly. He cleared his throat, and hesitantly crept closer. "I didn't mean to scare you." _That badly._

Ivan let out a weak scoff. "Then what were you trying to do?"

"I was just playing around."

"Ah," Matthew heard the smile through the demon's words, but it was not a happy one. "Next time, we play when I am awake, yes?"

"Yes. I'm sorry-"

"Stop apologizing."

Matthew clenched his jaw to prevent the mini-paradox of apologizing for apologizing, so very sarcastically, he said, "Yes, sir."

Ivan turned his head in a bewildered side-glance, but the teen ignored the look to rise to his feet. Matthew held out his arms and bobbed on the squishy bedding for a moment before jumping and landing with full force. The demon twisted around with a "Huh?" as his guest leaped over and over, making satisfying thumps against the mattress. "What are you doing?!" He grasped the top most blanket, throwing his head back and forth as the entire bed frame clacked against the wall, and Matthew's laughter of delight mixed into the ruckus. Again, he demanded, "What are you doing?" Ivan gasped and scrambled away as Matthew jumped closer to him, intensifying the movements. "Why are you jumping on my bed? Beds should not be jumped on!"

Matthew subsided his antics for a quick moment, and knelt before Ivan. He grinned, pushed up his glasses that were slipping from his nose, and said, "That's what makes jumping on them more fun. Come on, try it. My brother and I used to do it _all_ the time on my father's bed. At least, we did until he began locking his bedroom door."

"Y-you want me to jump up and down on my bed? Why? Is it supposed to do something?"

Matthew impatiently sighed, and grabbed Ivan's hands. "Try it! It'll make you feel better! Your bed is _perfect_ for bed jumping."

"Err, thank you?" Ivan begrudgingly rose to his feet, legs wobbling as the mattress shifted underneath him. Matthew let go of his hands to resume his cavorting around the cot, which made his friend flail his arms from the crazed motions.

"If you start jumping, you'll stop falling!"

"Matthew, this is a silly idea..." Ivan began, but when he caught glimpses of delight from Matthew's eyes, he glanced to his feet, and they too, joined the fracas.

"Like this! Use your knees, not your feet!" Matthew attached to Ivan's arms, encouraging the insanity. After a few hops and test jumps, both of them were almost hitting their heads on the ceiling, and whooped with glee. "See? It's better than any trampoline!"

"What is...a tramp-oh-lean?"

"Anything is a trampoline if you try really hard!"

Ivan twisted in mid air, but his performance was intercepted by Matthew, who clumsily rammed into him while he was doing his own spin. His legs flew from beneath him, both taking one another down with themselves, and they toppled onto the cot with a great heave. He picked up his head, beaming at his friend who flopped beside him.

" _Oof!_ " Matthew's hands immediately went to work patting the bed. "Oh no, my glasses. They went somewhere..."

Ivan grasped the lens which were right behind Matthew, and put them to his own face. He flinched and shook his head, holding the glasses out for their owner to take. "Ugh, I thought these glasses are supposed to help you see."

"They do. What you just saw..." Matthew put them in their proper place, and smiled at his friend rubbing his eyes, "is what I usually see without them. Don't worry, you're not the only person that put them on and proceeded to call me blind."

"I did not say you were blind. I was just thinking that they will fall off at the wrong times. Is there a way we could stick these..." Ivan poked the bridge of Matthew's glasses, "to your head so they will stay?"

"Whoa, what are you planning that would make these an issue?"

"We need to eat, yes? That involves hunting, and lots of moving. Lots of glasses falling off your face at the wrong moments."

"Hunting? Like, shooting guns or arrows at things? I'm not really good at that. Frankly, I never went out with my dad or anything."

The demon shook with laughter. "No, with your hands." He tipped his head as he lifted one of Matthew's palms to his face and stared at his nails. "Although, I am not sure how that will work. Show me your teeth."

Matthew was taken back from the statement, but awkwardly bared his teeth anyway. "Is there something in there?"

"No. This is not good. How does your kind get so much food without any claws or the eyes or fangs for hunting?"

 _Wonderful things called bullets...and farms._ "I ask someone else kindly if they could do it for me?" Matthew dropped his eyes to their joined hands so he would not grin stupidly in his friend's face. "It would only be fair after that all-you-can-eat buffet you seemed to enjoy _a lot_."

"Ah," Ivan caught on fairly quickly. "That...yes, that would be fair. I will make something work, or if all else is not well, we could go to a butcher. Although that would be a walk!"

"I, um, greatly appreciate it. Either or is fine."

Ivan brought Matthew's hand to his cheek, and managed to not look like a flustered idiot when he smiled. "I look forward to it, and I will make sure you will, too. You will not have to worry about that school place while you are here. We will not have to look over our shoulders for those pests...angels, I mean, and best of all, if you need to sleep or eat, there is no need to ask."

"Woo, free mini-vacation."

"Yes, you will have fun. Just..." Ivan pulled Matthew's forearm to his chest to get attention, "stay close to me when we are out of here. Do. Not. Wander."

"Okay. I mean, yes, sir!" Matthew giggled when Ivan stuck the back of his hand to his face again and affectionately rubbed his cheek against his skin. "You're crazy..."

Someone else lightly cleared their throat, and both occupants gasped and snapped their heads to the face peeking through a break in the curtain. Ivan was still smiles, however, and greeted his sister, "Irunya, we did not hear you come in."

Irunya dropped her sky blue eyes to the mattress. "If I am interrupting a private moment-"

"No!" Matthew blurted and yanked his wrist away to shake his hands at her. "No, no, you're fine. We were just about to get up...right, Ivan?"

Ivan did not act like the situation was dire. "If you are ready to go, then yes." He pushed himself to sit, and turned to Irunya, "I was going to take Matthew to hunt. Will you join us?"

"That is what I came in to ask you. Since you offered, too, then I think you know my answer."

"You should wait for us in the entrance hall. We will be down shortly, but we, ah..." Ivan glanced to Matthew digging around in his book bag, "we have to do some things first."

Irunya promised, "I will be waiting, but not too long, Vanya."

Once the door closed again, Matthew raised his eyebrows at his bedmate. "Vanya?"

"Yes?"

"I've heard that before..."

"Irunya likes her...'Nick' names. It will not be long until she gives you one, too. Also, I never found out who this Nick is."

Matthew ditched the shirt that was hanging out of his bag to scoot closer. "It's just a saying. Do you have a nickname for me?"

"Some call you Mattie." Ivan took a long breath, and his smile grew uneasy. "I have come to think of you as my Inquisitive One."

 _That's...so lame,_ Matthew thought endearingly, but did not dare to say that aloud. He fidgeted with his glasses to hide some of his face, which earned him a befuddled look. "That sort of has a bad connotation to it."

"Sometimes," Ivan admitted, "but that means you care enough to ask a lot of questions."

"Oh!" Matthew jerked out of a moony stare, way too noisy for his own liking, and half-rolled, half crawled across the mattress until he could pull the curtains back and set his feet on the floor. "I have to get dressed now, so..."

Ivan did not make any motion to budge from his lazy position. "So?"

Matthew pointedly cleared his throat, and jerked his head toward the door. "A little privacy, please?"

"You are trying to shoo me from my own room?" Before he could stammer anything, Ivan busted into hearty laughter. "I am pulling your leg, Matthew." He scuffled across his bed and put his feet onto the floor. "On one condition."

"What could that possibly be?"

A clawed hand snatched something that peeked out of the book bag, and held up an expensive silk night shirt. "Wear this!"

"Yeah, maybe for bed," Matthew retorted, grabbing for the top, but the demon weaved out of reach with a playful hiss. Instead of giving chase, he kept rummaging through his small collection, grateful for fishing his cargo shorts from the summer stash in his dresser drawers. "Fine, keep it, but it may be a little snug." He yanked the curtain closed and walked to the middle of the bed to shed his shirt. The hooks scratched on the top of the frame, and he tensed at the intrusion. "Hey! I'm getting dressed! Go away!"

Ivan's face still remained peeking through the cloth, and a cheeky smile crinkled his eyes. "Peek-the-boos!"

Matthew quickly shoved a fresher shirt over his head. "I thought I told you to go away."

"I thought I told you on one condition," Ivan nodded to Matthew's top, "which you did not do. So, I do not have to go anywhere!"

"Pervert," Matthew leaned over, snatched a small pillow, and suddenly flung it toward the peeper.

The cushion collided into Ivan's face and flopped back onto the bed. He blinked in surprise, but then brightened with a broad smile. "You win this time, Matthew. This time..." He pulled the curtains shut, and then the bedroom door behind him.

Matthew pushed his glasses back into place as a final touch and announced, "Fuzzy pillow versus demon; fuzzy pillow wins," He pulled the curtains back and glanced around the room, but it was empty of anybody else. "Ivan? You can come back in now."

With no signs of the fiend, he slipped from the bed and walked to the door. Matthew reached for the knob when a light weight rested against his lower back. He exclaimed, and whipped around with his arm ready for punching, but a stronger hand latched onto his forearms. He let out a sharp sigh of disbelief. "Really, Ivan?"

"Matthew is a jumpy one today, yes?"

"You were creeping," Matthew said as if it were obvious, which it was.

"I flew around the house and came back through those balcony doors. I left like you asked me to do."

"Oh, wow, okay. Sure. You win this round."

"Really?" Ivan released his clutch to make determined fists. "That makes the score one-to-one."

"All right, but it's time for a snack break. Let's not keep Irunya waiting."

It was a quiet trip downstairs. Irunya was standing in front of the big chairs in the throne room, looking up at the carvings around the upstairs balcony. Before Matthew could step into her range of sight, something hooked onto his shirt and pulled him back. "Wha...? Ivan, what is-" A pale wrap of cloth fell in front of his face. He reached up and grabbed at the thick scarf that Ivan was repeatedly circling around his shoulders. He tried talking, but the neckwear was muffling his words. He pressed down on it and craned his neck back. "Hey! What'd'ya doing?"

"Keep it clean, Matthew. I do not want to soil it while hunting," Ivan patted his head, causing him to shrink back into the bundle.

Matthew caught a glimpse of a white wrapping around Ivan's neck, feeling his wide eyes probing the gauze as he approached his sister. He quickly dropped his gaze, and adjusted the scarf so he could breathe easier. "This would be more appreciated when we were still running around my place in winter, not in the middle of Hell."

The siblings turned in curiosity to his hesitation, and Matthew hurried to meet them. "Hey, is...uh...the other one coming with us?"

Irunya tipped her head slightly as her eyes zoned on the cloth around his neck. "No, not this time, and let's leave it at that."

Ivan did not say anything, breezing out of the throne room, and left the other two to follow. The demons glided across the squishy landscape at a paced tempo, and Matthew had to scurry after them, even on long legs. Irunya paused at an edge between a stream of lava and a sharp pile of rocks rutting out of the landscape, and gave her wings a sharp flap before lifting off the ground. Matthew adverted his gaze out of mannerism to his sneakers sinking into the loose soil. The ground was suddenly pulled from him, and his stomach flipped as he was taken to the sky without warning.

Matthew's hands scrambled for purchase, and nearly shoved his face into Ivan's bandaged neck. "You could told me you were going to do that!"

"I could have," Ivan curtly replied. He followed his sister at a slower pace over more ridges and valleys spanning over a great expanse of land. Eventually, the landscape started to be dotted with trees, growing more dense as they approached a sharp mountain that rose amongst a forest of spindly and pointy trees. Much to Matthew's relief, he realized that being away from the huge pits of lava made this area a bit cooler, if that was the right term to use for the setting.

Irunya swooped down, folding her wings upwards, to plunge to a flat expanse of land before the forest began. Ivan followed soon after, landing heavily with added weight, and steadied himself before his sister could approach them to help. "Matthew, we are here. You can breathe again."

"Who says I wasn't breathing?"

"The lack of air in your voice," Ivan easily relayed, and bent forward so his luggage would slip from his shoulders.

"Is he...well?" Irunya put a hand to her mouth as Matthew stumbled a little ways from them on unsteady legs. He held his arms out from his sides, wobbling uncertainly.

"He is not a flyer."

Matthew snapped to face him. "Yeah, funny. Are we going to do something instead of pointing and laughing at me?"

Irunya gasped, "We were not pointing at you, Matthew!"

"We should get started now, though." Ivan patted his belly. "My stomachs are going to escape my abdomen soon."

"You said it," his sister agreed. She raised an arm, "I will scout around the thicker woods."

Ivan nodded. "I will take Matthew toward the plains." He let out a low, excited growl. "Happy hunting, Irunya."

"Likewise," the she-demon giggled, not hesitating to glide off to her grounds.

"Is there something...more interesting to the plains?" Matthew asked, and followed his friend when he gestured to the trees.

"Irunya likes to hide amongst the thick foliage, then drop down. Where I frequent, the forest is less dense."

"Less running into things."

Ivan grimaced. "Or getting caught inside of a tree."

Matthew looked around the field. "These are trees?" The dark structures sprouting from the ground grew to a sharp point instead of having any branches spreading from the trunk. Others looked more familiar, with their sparse branches covered in a thick, ugly green moss. "Wow, these look horrifying up close."

"You think so? I could say the same to the trees on the surface. So many branches!" The forest thinned to larger stretches of dark soil, and Ivan stopped before an unparticular patch of dirt. "This will be perfect."

Matthew tossed his head side to side, not seeing the charm. His friend took several deep sniffs, and his fingers twitched at the prospect of food. When he tried to take a whiff, he could only smell the eternal smell of ash and smoke. Ivan turned to face him. "I do not want you to be in the way when this happens, and I am sure you do not, either. You see that nice looking tree over there? Get in there, and try not to break any branches. The sap will sting if it touches you. Oh, and do not lick the bark."

"Eugh, why would I lick bark?"

"Curiosity? Just do not do it."

"Well, that just makes me want to lick bark more than ever!"

Ivan gave him a strained look.

"I was pulling legs."

He smiled, and groped at his neck, taken back when he realized his scarf was not there. "You get up in the tree now. Do not climb down until I say so, Matthew. That is important. Go as high up as you can."

Matthew spun in a full circle, eying the tree that Ivan pointed out to him. He crept toward the fuzzy trunk, which looked innocent, as far as plants go. He reached for the lowest branch and hoisted himself into the clump of twigs. After awkwardly wiggling between the branches to avoid snapping any, he found a V shaped crevice that he could get cozy against. He did not usually lick tree bark, since that is how he would get bugs and dirt in his mouth, but staring at the velvety moss, it made him start considering things from a different perspective. "Stupid," he told himself. "That's stupid. Don't be stupid."

Yet he was in Hell, full of lakes of lava and demonic sisters; licking bark would not be the craziest thing he done.


	19. Chapter 18

Matthew pulled his phone out of his pocket, carrying it as a method of keeping time. 'NO SIGNAL.' _Yeah, I get it._ He was not expecting demons to have Wi-Fi.

It took his mind off of _licking bark,_ of all things to consider, but only for a moment. His grip tightened on the soft material, promising to feel as lovely on his tongue as it did on his palms. Matthew gulped, laughing nervously at his potential stupidity. There not much to do when suspended in a tree. He leaned forward, brushing his cheek against the velvet, and the smell was sharp yet earthly.

Ivan said the sap would burn, but why would he tell him not to eat the moss from the tree instead of simply not mentioning it?! Matthew internally schemed, _I bet this is one of his demon tricks to get a point over me._ Besides, the fuzzy material smelled like something that one would eat, and not something gross and _not_ for eating. He scratched at the green velvet in dire curiosity.

Matthew jumped against the trunk he leaned against when he caught heavy thudding growing louder and closer to his spot. The shrubbery around one side of the field rattled, angry at the disturbance on the floor that was crunching and breaking its way through. He gripped the branch in front of him, and weaved side to side to get a good look at what was causing the noise.

A log of muscle burst into the clearing, galloping on four sticks for legs, and made more noise as the tusks sticking out of it's bottom lip bobbed up and down from its panicked groans. The animal ran nearly half way through the field when something else snarled just as loudly. A large figure of shadows shot from the trees, and sailed over the creature to land in front of it.

The hog squealed, scrambling to stop and turn from its pursuer. Matthew flinched, tempted to cover his ears from the only sounds within the relative area, but did not peel his gaze from the commotion. The demon let out a short, gleeful laugh before launching after it. Neither went very far as soon as the wispy cloud engulfed its body, and both of them slammed to the ground. The animal screamed again, and the teen opened his mouth to protest, but the noises were interrupted as Ivan flipped the hog upright to toss it to the side, and it bounced and skittered across the ground.

The creature trembled, momentarily dazed, and tried rising to its hooves. Yet the demon allowed it no time to recover as he descended upon the animal once more. More squeals of fright cut off to loud snaps and bones cracking. Matthew gnashed his teeth together, excited and disgusted at the same time. Thankfully, Ivan had his back to him as that weird demon smoke dissipated so all he saw was the hog's legs twitch and eventually stop.

"Next time, I should pack my own lunch."

Ivan suddenly sang from across the clearing, "Matthew, I have caught us food!"

Matthew tried to look around Ivan to see the gore, not that he needed something to decide whether he had an appetite or not. He was getting hungry, but not _that_ hungry. He grumbled, "He doesn't really think I'm going to just stick my hands in there and eat what I pull out, right?"

The demon did just that, and after he was done smacking on whatever bloody piece he shoveled in his mouth, he called out again, "You better get some before all the good parts are gone!"

Suddenly, chocolate and potatoes did not sound bad at all. Distant flapping made him look up, and he recognized Irunya drawing closer to their area. She made a strange call, and Matthew was startled when Ivan relayed the high pitched noise back to her. She landed with a loud _thump_ , and approached her brother.

"Where is Matthew? Did he catch something for himself?"

"No," Ivan said through his chewing, "I told him to stay in a tree while I hunted, but now he will not come down, even when I offer food, which is very strange."

Irunya scanned the forest for the boy, and found him looking right back. He raised a hand and waved. She called out, "Come eat, Matthew! There is plenty if my brother shares."

"Eh, no, I think I'll pass."

She tipped her head, not catching what he muttered from his hideout. "Don't worry, he will share. Right, Vanya?"

Ivan grumbled something inaudible with his mouth crammed with raw meat and blood. While Irunya scolded him to chew before he would choke, Matthew figured that he could ask to have the meat cooked, and pushed away from the branch he leaned against. As he glanced around for a nice way down to the ground, it dawned on him that it was easier to hoist himself into the tree than it would be getting down. He had no choice but to position himself over a gap between branches, and drop.

The fall was neat, but Matthew did not see the thick root sticking out of the dark soil, so he landed crookedly. He managed to stay on both his feet, but a sharp pain seized his ankle. He sucked in a breath between his teeth and cussed. When he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his leg trembled and bucked from beneath his body. He yelped from the ache, and braced against the velvety tree before he could fall on his rear and embarrass himself even further. "Uh, guys?"

Suddenly, Ivan was there, crouching down to hover over Matthew's hands that were worryingly prodding his ankle. "Are you hurt?"

Matthew jerked from the sudden appearance, and kicked his leg back when the demon grabbed his calf. "Ow! Watch how roughly you're grabbing me!"

Ivan jerked away, and furrowed his eyebrows. "I am sorry, I did not mean to..." When Matthew did not reply, favoring to prod his ankle experimentally, he let out a high whine of distress.

Irunya rushed to join them, too. "What happened? I heard a cry of pain! Are you all right?!"

"I hurt Matthew!"

"You didn't hurt me," Matthew made sure to pointedly stare into Ivan's eyes so he would not say otherwise. "I leaped out of a tree and landed on my feet the wrong way."

"Leaped out of a tree?" Irunya put a hand to her mouth. "Be more careful next time." She turned to her brother, "Let us go back home so he can rest and we can look at this more properly."

Ivan said, "You have not eaten yet-"

"There is a more pressing matter at the moment, Vanya."

Matthew looked at Ivan expectantly when he hesitated. "I'm sorry, but are you going to carry me? Unless I am going to hobble all the way there."

Irunya offered, "I could carry him if you do not want to, but the sooner we get back, the sooner we can attend to Matthew."

"When you say that," Ivan stepped forward and scooped the teen into his arms, earning a light whoop of surprise, "it seems like I do not care."

"Then let's hurry." Irunya launched into the air with a powerful flap of her wings. Her brother followed, adjusting to his added weight with a slight wobble before taking off the squishy ground.

Without pressure on it, the pain in Matthew's ankle was only a hot tearing sensation, and he was grateful for not being put down when they arrived at the house, if at the cost of his dignity. The demons quickly made their way into the building, and Ivan carried him into a long rectangular room with an equally massive slab in the middle that posed as a table. He was not too kind in depositing him on the hard surface, whether intentionally or not.

The siblings exchanged a look between each other as Matthew lifted his leg and dabbed at his foot, wincing at the unpleasant throbbing running through his ankle. "I think I sprained it."

Ivan hovered closer. "What do we do with it?"

Irunya suggested, "Stay off your feet."

"That's for sure," Matthew grumbled. "I need an ice pack."

The she-demon echoed, "Ice?"

"Frozen water," Ivan said. "It is so cold on the surface, that water becomes solid."

Irunya slapped a hand to her mouth. "That is horrible! You poor thing! It must be so hard living with all that...those ice things!"

"Not if you have rock salt." Matthew earned confused looks. "Can I have a damp cloth? Preferably with cool water, please."

"We do not have cool water. Will warm water be all right?"

"If that is what you have," Matthew shrugged. "It's not too bad, I just need to prevent it from blowing up."

"Blowing up?" Irunya widened her eyes. "Your foot will...explode?"

Ivan giggled. "Humans use figurative language for everything. A lot of their sayings are not what they sound like. I think he meant that his foot will swell."

"Hm, okay. A bit odd..." Irunya glanced over her shoulder as she turned to exit the room.

As soon as Irunya left, Ivan dropped his cheerful demeanor. "What happened?"

Matthew was taken back. "What do you mean?"

"You did not come over and eat with me. You decided to stay in that tree and now your foot is broken."

"Not broken...maybe." The boy shook his head. "There's nothing happening out of the ordinary. I just wasn't hungry for raw meat. I thought we were going to cook or it something, but when you just...dug in, I sort of lost my appetite."

Matthew's stomach gurgled, and Ivan looked down in surprise. "You are now regretting this, yes?"

"A little, but I have snacks in my back bag from the convenience store. Remember?"

Ivan did not reply, favoring to gaze at Matthew's ankle instead. "Maybe...maybe I should have kept a closer eye on you. I have told you not to wander, but then I wandered and left you alone."

"You said I would not be in the way, and honestly, after that, I don't think I would want to be in the way while you hunted."

The demon parted his blood-caked lips in a cheeky grin. "Did I scare you?"

"Oh, yeah," Matthew made sure to keep his face as sincere as possible to ward off suspicion of his sarcasm. "You caught me. The real reason I did not come down right away is because I was glued to my spot in silent terror as I watched you tore apart that poor hog."

Instead of laughing like he usually does, Ivan simply stared, eyes wide with interest. "Did you...did you really-"

"Ugh, no, Ivan! I've seen worse things on TV!"

"Oh."

"You seem...disappointed. Did you want me to be scared of you?"

"If I scare you, you would be running away screaming, yes? Why would I take all this effort to blend in with humans, and bring you down to my home if I wanted you to scream and run away?"

"Huh. Okay, you got me."

Ivan beamed. "Two-to-one."

"Ugh!" Matthew tossed his hands at him. "Hush up!"

His half-hearted attack was thwarted when Ivan grasped both of his wrists and leaned closer. "Are you sure, Matthew? That I do not scare you?"

Matthew glanced down to the drying blood caked beneath Ivan's nails, and besides his face growing hot, and the dull pain in his ankle, he only thought of a well needed shower. "No, of course not," he mumbled. "You don't believe me?"

A spry grin slowly stretched across Ivan's face. "When I get close like this, I think I can hear your heart beat faster. So, yes, it is a little hard to believe. Unless..." he only grew more amused when Matthew pointedly turned his head away, "it is something else?"

"Stop listening to my heartbeat, you creep."

Ivan let go of his wrists to tent himself against the table, and titled his head so Matthew had to glance the other way to avoid his cheeky smile. "You know, I think I like this...being a creeper!"

Matthew hung his head, unable to help an unmanly giggle. "All right. You keep telling yourself that." After a quiet moment of neither moving, he glanced up, but Ivan had scrunched his eyebrows together for a disturbed look. "What?"

"Matthew," the demon shifted to brush a hand up his face. Matthew flinched, remembering the dried blood still caked to his claws, and Ivan snatched his hand away from the gesture. "I...oh," he said, and they both grimaced at one another, not exactly knowing what was wrong. "Well, if there is something you like to say, then tell me, okay?"

"Um...okay."

Ivan lightly insisted, "People do not often tell me what is wrong when something is wrong. I think that they think I will get mad, but I get mad when someone does not tell me what is wrong."

"Okay! Jeez." Matthew said more politely, "I'll let you know. It was just an accident this time, all right? Nobody needs to blame anybody else." He watched Ivan wrangle his stained hands together, and shyly smiled when their eyes met. "Actually, there is something..."

Ivan hovered with a great expression of concern.

"You seriously need a bath."

"What? Matthew!" Ivan slug his arms around him and rocked side to side in his fit of laughter.

"Hey!" Matthew squished their cheeks together and playfully seethed, "Crazy demon!"

Ivan pulled away with a rumble of delight, but suddenly sniffed the air. His head snapped to look over his shoulder, noting that his sister had returned.

Irunya lingered in the doorway, stammering a bit, "I...um, I have the cloth you asked for." She did not budge, and her wings gave a nervous twitch. "If I am interrupting-"

Matthew straightened with his hands neat on his lap, as if nothing exciting just happened. "I'll take it, thanks!"'

Irunya glanced to her brother, but he took his gaze to the floor and backed away. She shrugged uncertainty off her shoulders and approached the table. "Here, let me help you." She set the rag on the table and knelt down to tug on Matthew's sneaker. Both siblings jumped when he cried out in pain and jerked away. She gasped and clapped her palms over her mouth. "Oh, no! What did I do? I am sorry, Matthew-"

Matthew shook his head and picked at his shoe laces. "Both of you, really. I can handle myself."

"Oh," Irunya blinked in surprise before relaxing. "Will you be all right?"

"Walking is going to be a pain," Matthew said, and eagerly grabbed the cloth when she offered it, and pressed it to his foot. It was cool at first, but not nearly as cold and numbing as he hoped it would be.

Ivan gleefully suggested, "Then you will need to be carried everywhere!"

Irunya's bright blue eyes gleamed with amusement. "That reminds me when Father had carried me when I hurt my leg. You screamed whenever I was picked up. I think it frightened you, or at least made you jealous."

"Yes." Her brother's warm expression turned icy, and he quickly turned away. "I need to clean myself and change clothes."

Irunya and Matthew watched him go, and the she-demon put a hand over her heart. "Oh Vanya, I want to be your friend, too."

Matthew looked at her in surprise. "Was...was not a good thing? Did he not like your parents?"

"They're dead."

"Oh! I'm sorry-"

Irunya shook her head, and tears snuck through her lashes when she squeezed her eyes closed. "It may have happened when he was still just a boy, but it is a sensitive subject for all of us."

"Then I won't-"

"It was not a peaceful time for all of us. I know Ivan believes they should have stayed with us, but they were trying to protect us from all those evil...glory hunting bastards, but...oh..." Irunya swiped a finger under her eye, blinked a few times, and then her shoulders shook with sobs.

"Hey, hey!" Matthew held his hands up, unsure what to do with the weeping woman. "I didn't mean to pry! I'm sorry, don't cry!"

She tried wiping her face again, more successful from his urgent support. "You are such a sweet boy, Matthew. Yet they say humans are worse than demons..." She swished a palm at herself, and giggled uneasily. Matthew looked down, taking part of the scarf around his neck into his palm. "It is no wonder why Ivan took a liking to you."

Matthew jolted and mouthed, "What?"

"This...surprises you? Oh, I thought it was so obvious! You know, he has found a new habit to disappear suddenly and for concerning amounts of time!" Irunya patted the boy's shoulder, as if he was worrying, but he was just sweaty and sheepish. "Now I know why. I remember the first time he left. He kept staring at the ceiling, and then told Natalia and I that he needed to go, that something was calling him." She wiped the last of the dampness from her cheeks. "I'm babbling, aren't I? I needed to get my mind on other things."

"That's all right," Matthew assured her. "What happened then?"

The she-demon seemed pleased he asked. "After many sleepless nights for me, my brother finally comes back home, wearing strange, soft clothing, and he was so happy..."

Matthew fidgeted with the unpleasantly warm compress against his ankle with one hand, and nonchalantly rubbed his chest right about where his heart did a funny thump. _Quit doing stupid stunts, stupid heart._ "Oh, um...yeah, we couldn't have him running around with his...demon-ness out and about."

"Yes, that probably was for the best. There are a lot of angels prancing around on the surface, so I am glad you helped him. So glad," Irunya sighed. "I know he has responsibilities here, but he never had many opportunities to find his own happiness like this when we were younger...so I let him go."

Matthew glanced around the room for potential hiding spots. "R-really?"

"Really! Whatever pulled him to the surface must have been very strong, since the very few times he stopped by, he almost immediately went back up." Irunya's shoulders fell the slightest, only to perk up again. "Yet this time, he returned to us again, and so soon, too! Plus, with a little extra this time!" She reached out and gave Matthew's upper arms a squeeze, and giggled. "Or should I say a lot of extra?"

Matthew entertained the thought of dropping to the floor and hiding under the table the next time the she-demon glanced to the doorway. Nobody was there. His groan of discomfort must have been louder than he thought it was as Irunya snapped to face him again.

"What's wrong? Should I wet your cloth again?"

"Um, yeah, actually, that would help," Matthew frowned at her back as she breezed out of the dining hall. As soon as he thought she was out of ear-shot, he pushed his glasses over his head and rubbed his face as he groaned in embarrassment.

"Cannot handle the heat, dickwad?"

Matthew jumped, twisting around the table to face the snarky voice. "Oh, hello, um, Natalia," his voice dropped, feeling small underneath the other sister's glare. "How long have you been-"

She cut him off with loud hiss, baring her teeth. Matthew furrowed his eyebrows at her, and she narrowed her eyes right back at him. "What, you think I am going to bite you?"

"Well, we haven't been formally introduced-"

"I know who you are," she seethed, causing his arms to pimple with goose bumps. "Human."

Matthew grimaced. "What do you have against humans?"

"From what I heard? Too much. Your kind is loud, messy, fickle, destructive...do I have to go on?"

"Yeah, I admit _some_ of us are like that, but you just met me. Have I been loud, messy and what not in the short time I been here?"

Natalia's lips turned up in the slightest. "No, not yet. We will see. I _will_ be watching you, and do not even _think_ of hurting my brother in any way, shape, or form."

Matthew scoffed, "Of course I won't do that!"

"Of course not. I will cut your penis off if you do."

A look of horror spread across Matthew's face, but nothing could come out of his gaping mouth.

The she-demon curtly nodded, taking his obvious fright as a sufficient answer. "Good." She abruptly left as quickly and stealthily she crept into the dining hall.

Matthew nonchalantly folded his arms over his groin. He did not look up to acknowledge Irunya's return. She stood before him, catching some whiffs of air. "Was Natalia through here recently?"

Pale faced, Matthew's head bobbed.

"I wonder why she did not say hello," Irunya murmured thoughtfully. She gasped, "Here's your cloth!"

"Ah, thanks," Matthew took the rag, and pressed it to his ankle. "Ugh, it looks like the swelling's not going down. I need an ice pack."

"We don't have any of those."

"Yeah, I kind of figured. I need to go back up to the surface for one. It's okay, Irunya. You done enough."

The she-demon beamed, revealing equally sharp teeth as her brother's. "I'm just so glad Vanya was able to make a friend, and such a lovely one, too!" She reached out and lifted an end of the scarf Matthew had around his neck. "I gave this to him when we were young, you know?"

Matthew widened his eyes. "No, I didn't. Should I not be wearing it?"

Irunya lightly laughed, shaking her head. "I would like to say that it is absolutely fine for you do so. It should be, since this muffler is very important to him. I was surprised he let you wear it. This almost always stays around his neck."

"Um, he actually put it around me," Matthew admitted, pulling the fabric up to his chin like the owner did. "Ivan said he did not want it getting soiled during his hunt."

"He told you that? Matthew," Irunya giggled, "that scarf has been through more washes than a curious toddler! It was completely white when I sewn it."

"What?" Matthew exclaimed in disbelief, "Then why did he...?" He swallowed, as if that would shove his pulse down his throat, back to where it belonged. Irunya tilted her head, but he had directed his eyes to his injured ankle, not really looking at the mess.

"You probably caught on that my brother is...a tad overbearing with his...objects of affection. Once he managed to make friends with this cute little hare..."

Matthew angrily blinked at himself, and tried to tune in Irunya's babbles. "A hare? What happened to it?"

"He crushed it to death."

"Oh, that's..."

Irunya swished her hands back and forth. "He just got excited, that's all! It was a really adorable thing! Ivan did not mean it any harm!"

"Um, maybe the hare should have not been so cute, then," Matthew tried. "But what does that have to do with giving me the scarf you made for him?"

"I just want you to know that my brother intends no harm with whatever he does. He has always...had a hard time making friends, and whenever he finally does, I don't think he knows what to do."

Matthew dropped his gaze to his foot, smiling. "I don't think I know what to do, either."

Irunya's face fell into a more serious gaze. "But Matthew, that does not mean you should take pity and let him get away with things that make you uncomfortable. To yourself, and other people." She whispered, "Please. I know you are kind, but do not let him unknowingly crush you."

Matthew said questionably, "Irunya?"

Irunya sniffled, and weakly smiled. "I am fine. I will be fine." She blinked a few times to clear her eyes, but then took several, curious sniffs. She spun around, aware of Ivan's reappearance before Matthew did. "Brother, we were just talking about you!"

Matthew mentally face-palmed.

Ivan slowed in the middle of the doorway, looking alarmed by this development. He gave Matthew a long stare. "Oh, you were?"

"No, no! Nothing bad! I insist!" Irunya waved her hands, turning to Matthew. "Is that right, Matthew?"

"Please don't put me in the spotlight."

Both demons laughed, and Matthew ducked his head with his ears burning. A pair of familiar boots came into view, and he peeked at Ivan. "Is Matthew's injury still persisting?"

Irunya said, "He keeps saying he needs ice."

"We do not have ice."

"That is what I said."

"We need ice."

"Brother, must you leave again so soon?"

Ivan repeated, "We need ice."

Matthew nodded in eager agreement. "Yeah, and my brother might be ripping his hair out in worry. I kind of snuck away without telling him where I was going."

Irunya shot her brother a stern look. "Ivan, is that your doing?"

"Matthew agreed to it!"

She handed the stare to Matthew, who shrunk under her gaze. "You two need to take care of his injury as soon as possible. It will not get any better with him posing as the dining hall's center piece."

* * *

 _A.N.- What would licking the bark do? Maybe it would make your tongue tingle for an uncomfortable amount of time. Maybe it could slowly peel away all your taste buds. Use your imagination. :)_


	20. Chapter 19

Compared to the dank and stale air of the sewers and Hell, the nightly surface wind felt like life to Matthew's lungs. He took such a heavy inhale, his chest hurt with the capacity of fresh air. "Ah, that feels so nice!"

Ivan, however, grumbled as he gave the sewer gate a light kick, "It is cold." The street rumbled as a vehicle approached. He bristled, and clumsily shot forward with the weight on his back without replacing the manhole cover. They reached the curb of the sidewalk when there was a screech of tires grinding to a sudden stop, and then a loud pop. He spun around to face the calamity; a van had ran over the hole. One of the tires was inside of it, and the rear end of the vehicle leaned toward the sky.

The front door opened and the driver's head popped over the roof of the car. "What the Hell?!"

Matthew hissed in his friend's ear, "Run, Ivan!"

"But-"

"Hey," the driver started to come around his trapped van, "did you _just_ come up from there?"

"Okay," Ivan declared, "I am running," and took off shambling in the opposite direction of the accident. The driver shouted for them to stop, but they did not take heed, and his words became only echoes in the nightly landscape. "This not good. That sewer system is the closest one to the area where I drop down into Hell. I hope they do not seal it."

"We'll have to wait and see," Matthew murmured, and adjusted his arms' grip around Ivan's shoulders. "Can you sense any angels around?"

"Yes, but the trail is faint. I think that Arthur made a few rounds back and forth around this area."

"Do you think that he was looking for us?"

"It is a possibility," Ivan gave Matthew's leg that did not have an injury a squeeze, "but there are more pressing matters at the moment." He grew quiet, saving his breath to pant as he hurried to the Bonnefoy house. Not only was he carrying Matthew, Matthew was carrying his clothing bag over his own back.

None of the house's lights were on. "Oh? Maybe Alfred is not home." Matthew narrowed his eyes against the darkness. "That would save me a headache when we get inside."

The front door squawked with unnecessary noise as Ivan pushed it open, and he peered into the empty hall. He took a few deep inhales, one, to catch his breath, and two, to scent if any other (possibly otherworldly) occupants were inside. "I do not smell anything besides faint trails."

"Good, now let's get some ice on my ankle, please," Matthew gave Ivan's chest a few urging pats. "There is a light switch right next to the doorway."

Ivan groped the wall, and suddenly the ceiling filled the hall with intense light. He slightly flinched, blinked his eyes at the ceiling light before trudging into the kitchen. He set Matthew onto one of the island stools, and both sighed with relief. "Where is this ice?"

"It's in the freezer," Matthew pointed to the appliance, and with a heave, he plopped his bag onto the granite countertop. "It's a rectangular blue box thingy."

"Blue box thingy," Ivan echoed, hissing when the clouds of cold swelled into the kitchen from the opened refrigerator.

"Can you wrap it in a dish towel? Sorry for asking for so much. I would have gotten it myself if I did not sprain my ankle."

"You think you ask for much." Ivan murmured aloud, and settled into the adjacent stool, dwarfing its height. He reached down and grabbed Matthew's leg, balancing it on his own knee, and pressed the compress to his foot. "Is this good?"

"Ooh! That's cold. Yeah, it's good," Matthew leaned against the counter with a sigh, and closed his eyes. "You know, I can't believe we left that guy's van stuck in that hole. Did you see his face?" He giggled, "I could only imagine what he would do if he came by a few seconds beforehand, when you lifted yourself out of the sewer."

Ivan only replied with a short noise of acknowledgement, and switched hands to hold the ice pack.

Matthew's eyes cracked open. "Hey," he rapped his palm against the counter, earning attention. "Are you all right? You are...quieter than usual." He whispered when his friend dropped his gaze to the ice pack, "Please tell me."

"I wanted to do the fun things, Matthew, like fly through the wind tunnel of endless wails, or eat the bulbs of the eternal flowers, or even visit the nearby market, but all that potential and planning has been suddenly impaled."

Matthew shifted around on the wooden stool, grumbling, "I guess I should have not jumped out of that tree, huh?" When Ivan's eyebrows mashed together, he playfully rolled his eyes. "We will just have to do those things when my foot gets better."

Ivan glanced up, surprised, and unknowingly lifted the ice from his ankle. "You...you would like that?"

"I would have not said it if I didn't." _Silly demon,_ Matthew thought too adoringly. He pointed at his foot. "Could you put that back on?"

Ivan placed the wrap back as a dusting of pink decorated his uplifted cheeks. "We will need to take good care of this ankle, then, so we can return home as soon as possible."

Matthew agreed with a nod, even though his company did not see the gesture. "Are you close to your sisters, Ivan?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Just curious."

After a toss between a few sour and sad faces, "We...we have been rekindling our family relationship after they...after a long period of time when we were all falling apart. We had been distant from each other since..." his gaze lifted, but did not meet Matthew's eyes, "...the death of our parents. Living in the same house has its taxations, but the company is pleasant...at times."

"I wonder what it's like having a sister, let alone two."

"Terrifying," was only what Ivan said, earning a shared giggle. "Did they...did my sisters talk of anything interesting to you?"

"Oh, Natalia threatened to castrate me," Matthew shrugged, as if it were a common occurrence. He hesitated, remembering many things he mentally shoved away, and his face warmed. "Irunya likes doting on many things, doesn't she?"

"Most definitely," Ivan rubbed his hand on his chest, trying to return its warmth from gripping the ice pack. "What did she talk about?"

Matthew wedged his face between his arms stretched across the counter. "Stupid stuff."

"Is that so? Usually Irunya speaks of sweet things, nothing I would consider stupid. Annoying, maybe. Foolish, no."

"She said she sewn this scarf for you."

"Yes, that muffler is almost as old as I am."

Matthew sat up, peeling the cloth from himself. He grabbed both ends of the near mile long thing and slung it over Ivan's head, who snapped up in surprise. He froze when his eyes locked into the content gaze of his friend's, and a pipsqueak thought ran through his emptied mind, _I can't keep this friendly façade up._

"Matthew? You look scared. Is there something on my face?"

"Uh..." Matthew glanced down to the wrapping around Ivan's neck. "No...not your face. Your face is all right." _More than all right._ He loudly clamped his mouth shut, and gave one end of the scarf a hard toss over it's owner's shoulder. "Um," he wanted to ask about the bandage around his friend's neck, but he did not think was there anyway to ask about a sensitive subject like that without sounding rude.

Ivan tipped his head, and a cheeky grin brightened his expression again. "Um?"

"N-never mind," Matthew dropped his focus to slugging the scarf around his neck, hiding the strange wrapping. "Jeez, this thing is endless!" He chose to drape the second half of the cloth behind the man's back. "Why didn't you wear it while you were hunting? And don't give me that 'I don't want it to get dirty crap.'"

Ivan clamped his mouth shut when he opened it to say that exact crap. He made a hum of thoughtfulness, studying Matthew's down casted face for answers. Finding a satisfactory response, he announced with a smirk, "If something or someone were to come after you, they would see my scarf around your neck, and realize not to touch, because I would rip their spinal cords through their behinds!"

"Oh, that's...that's lovely to hear. Thank you."

Ivan chuckled, but his laughter was short lived as his figure suddenly shuddered. Matthew looked up in alarm from staring at his sprained ankle. Black sweeps exploded from Ivan's back, and he gave his head a shake, shrugging off the last of his cloak. "Ah, now that is what is lovely."

"Wow, that was not freaky in the least."

Ivan's eyes widened. "Freaky?!"

"What? No, no!" Matthew swished his hands in the air. "Just when everything, you know, _whoosh!_ Comes out like that."

"I was getting comfortable with not having my cloak on. It felt as if I were going to pass out with it."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't," Matthew reached out for one of the horns jutting out in the open. The demon lifted his head at the touch. "Oh," he retracted his hand, internally cursing the puppet strings controlling his arm. "Shit, sorry!"

Ivan leaned his head back from the outburst. "What are you sorry for?"

"I just..." Matthew shook his head, not wanting to explain that he was creeping on his friend and barely able to keep his fingers to himself. He bent the leg outstretched across Ivan's knee, and distracted the subject, "Never mind. Can you grab that dishrag hanging on the oven door? This one is pretty thin and it's really cold."

"I thought cold was good." Ivan turned on his stool to stretch for the towel.

Too much cold could get one sick, but before Matthew could reply, a slender hand pressed over his mouth. His eyes widened, and let out a muffled yell of shock. Ivan twisted around, his face falling to one of disbelief, and he, too, let out a noise of surprise as he lunged forward to grab his friend, but the angel's form was swallowed by an intense glow.

The demon flinched, and slipped backwards, off his stool and onto the kitchen floor. The short fall was rough, but his scarf and wings cushioned his back, and managed to quickly pull himself to his feet. Unfortunately, by the time he scrambled to stand, the blinding light streaming through the kitchen vanished, and Arthur and Matthew were no where to be seen.

Ivan lightly snorted, and stalked around the island counter to reach at the empty air, as if the angel had became invisible. A lone, white feather remained, drifting to the floor as the only proof they were ever there. He swooped to the tiles to raise a clawed hand toward it, hovering for a moment to shake his head at the black dots dancing across his eyes before snatching it between two fingers. Keeping his pupils trained on the stiff, feathery tuffs, he leaped to his feet with only a sharp exhale that hinted at the boiling of his blood.

The front door almost snapped off its hinges as the demon carelessly hurled it open. His wings shot out, launching him into the night sky with a gust to send the small quill far away from him. A deep snarl began at his throat, shooting from his lips with enough force to push the moon out of his way.

~.~

~Oh shit lmao~

~.~

Being alone has its downsides when it came to Alfred's opinion. Being alone outside in the dark was worse. Having a nightly walk with a walking-flashlight-friend when that friend suddenly poofs away, leaving him alone and cold and outside and in the dark when suddenly a loud, feral shout broke through the night was the worse case scenario.

It was not a joyful horror movie where he could hide behind a blanket to be actually living with the worse scenario. There were no blankets nearby in the empty field. Alfred nearly leaped out of his skin, and his own startled yelp replied to the rough snarl that sounded over his head. He craned his neck back, and with another "Eek!" he stumbled backwards as a winged intruder suddenly dropped out of the sky to slam onto the grass right before him. He could only make out a shadowy outline, but he knew exactly what he was seeing again.

Alfred screamed, "Ahh! Demon!"

Ivan shouted back, "Ahh! Human!"

"Huh? Seriously, dude?"

"Yes," the demon seethed, "not so funny on my end is it? Where is your brother?"

"Yeah, Ivan," Alfred stuck his fists against his waist. "Where is my brother?"

The shadows loomed closer, and the teen crinkled his face, resisting the urge to step away. "That pretty little angel of yours stole him away from me! Where is he?!"

Alfred wiped his face, and made a couple of disturbed expressions. "What, you think we're playing hide-and-seek? He suddenly went _pah!_ and disappeared without even telling me anything! I want to know where he went, too!"

Ivan randomly giggled passed his anger, and roughly brushed against Alfred's shoulders as he stalked in the direction of a line of trees. "That is a shame. You did not say goodbye to him before I rip his wings from his back and stuff them down his throat!"

"What?! Hey!" Alfred called out after the demon, but he was rudely ignored as the shadows swept into the air. "Nuh-uh! Not on my watch," he declared, and sprinted after the sounds of wings furiously flapping away, threatening to leave him in the dark, alone, but he would not have that again.

~.~

~BOING!~

~.~

When a hand clamped over his mouth, the last thing Matthew saw was Ivan reaching for a dishtowel to help ease his injured ankle before he was snatched away and whirled into a cold and dark environment. He dropped to the ground, which could be nothing else besides grass as it tickled his face. Despite feeling wobbly from the flying sensation, he swung his head side to side, and could only make out an empty field without his glasses, which were probably lost during the trip.

Matthew patted the grass around himself in case they were lying nearby, but then stiffened as a flurry of footsteps suddenly swished closer to him. "Matthew, can you stand for me? Oh, no, look at your foot. Did that _thing_ do this to you?"

As soon as a hand touched his swollen ankle, Matthew spat a curse between his teeth, a late of warning for his glowing company as he threw out his arm. The light taking up most of his vision shrunk, as if it distanced itself from him. He pushed himself further to kneel as the glow circled around him, and he tried to scuffle in a circle to keep his blurred eyes on it.

Matthew tried to holler, "What do you want?! Why did you drag me all the way out here?"

The glowing figure stopped moving. "I am going to help you. Now, be still!"

 _No thanks!_ Matthew rolled to one side, and his attacker thumped into the grass where he was a second ago. He tried to spin around and kick his leg at Arthur, but missed entirely from his blindness and from the quick spring the angel performed, dodging his lame maneuver. The teen lunged away, as much as he could with his injury, and his palm nicked something thin and hard. Just when he curled his fingers around the plastic of his glasses, he was suddenly lifted from the green blades.

Spittle flung from his mouth instead of coherent curses as his body was seized with that jarring, soaring sensation of flight. Not even flight; Arthur zipped around and managed to lug the not-so-tiny Matthew across the field and onto a pile of damp dirt without even flapping his wings. The teen yelled in pain when his captor's grip slipped and dropped him, and his aching ankle collided with a rock.

Matthew shot out a hooked arm again, and this time, his fist connected with the other's cheek. With a grunt, several footsteps thudded away as they both collapsed back into the grass. He groaned in annoyance and anger, and while the angel was distracted with his nasty fist delivery, he leaped on the opening to flee from his kidnapper on his hands and knees.

Arthur's voice snapped, "Enough of this! You are going into that pond, like it or not!"

 _Pond? What pond?_

This mental question was promptly answered when a whoosh darted above his head, landed in front of him, and before Matthew could turn away and crawl in another direction, something that he could not describe other than a large shock wave sent him rolling across the grass. He could not stop until a shallow body of water caught him. He thrashed, and shot up to pop his head out of the frigid pond, but the angel's weight sent him against the murky floor.

Matthew squeezed his eyes shut from the impure liquid, and smacked at what he hoped was Arthur's face. That only seemed to make both of them angrier, and the hands pinning him pushed down harder while the cold water made his own attacks lamer. His thoughts were nothing but a string of curses that should never leave his mind.

An eruption of bubbles blubbered from his mouth, breaking the surface. Matthew shook his head side to side, panic rising as his lungs began burning. Before the lack of oxygen grew painful, his captor ripped him from the floor.

"Purge! Purge the vileness within! Wash away this dark menace that has taken root inside his mind, inside his heart-!" Arthur's urgent and unnecessarily loud shouting cut off to distant warbling as he shoved Matthew underwater again, who barely caught a gulp of air. He lashed again, trying to kick or knee Arthur in the groin, but his legs caught nothing but dirt. A garbled whine escaped his throat as he feebly wiggled beneath the angel. Yet the arms pressing his own against the pond's pebbles seemed to grow into steel bars as the icy pond siphoned his strength, threatening to claim his life prematurely as it began.

Matthew's eyes flew open against the murky water as soft light washed over the nightly darkness. His struggles subsided as he stared at the glow, and questioned the warmth spreading across his body, which banished the gripping chill of drowning. A lull of peace replaced the lack of breath in his chest. Matthew watched the blur, and his will to fight lost to pity.

 _Well, that sure was a fun way to die._

Something lifted his body, and he broke the surface to be leaned against somebody who smacked his back multiple times, urging water out. Matthew spewed out liquid and gagged. The palm pounding his back eased, and crept up to his head and gently patted his soaked hair. He opened his eyes, but they were not any help being clogged with water as dark and light argued with one other before his face.

Matthew weakly furrowed his eyebrows together as he realized he was against another, smaller body as it let out a long sigh. " _Shhh..._ You are all right now."

He croaked, "Why...why wouldn't I...?" A pair of hands grabbed his biceps, much more gently this time, and guided him to the pond's edge. The water's glow hovered closer to him, and he blinked against the intense light as it escaped from the pond and into his pores. He took a shuddering inhale, and the cold breeze turning his cheeks into slabs of ice did not seem as deadly, and the body of water he was submerged in felt like an stale bath. His captor tugged him upwards, but he was able to rise on his own. He set both feet on the pond's bottom, gasping at the lack of pain from his sprained ankle.

"How did..." Matthew blinked water out of his eyes, but they began to sting with threatening tears. "Oh, I'm dead, aren't I?" He whispered, "That's how everything got better."

"Goodness, no! Usually this goes much more smoother, but things just did not happen that way, did they? Get out of the water, Matthew."

It was still Arthur commanding him, but he was eager to listen no matter who told him to do that. His foot caught onto a rock at the water's edge, and he tripped forward. The angel braced himself and grunted at the boy's weight propped against him. "Ugh, sorry," Matthew mumbled, and then slipped away, onto the grass with weakened limbs. He grabbed onto his own biceps as the night air brought him back to life by stabbing through his drenched clothes.

He slung his head in the direction of feet swishing in the grass. A white figure came closer, and shrunk down, as if picking something from the ground. He flinched as his glasses were slid over his face, and blinked rapidly from the blur suddenly sharpening. Matthew gawked at the sight of an uncloaked Arthur, the soft glow that his skin emitted was now a steady envelope of light, a sun in the middle of the dark. Large white sweeps sloped from behind him, stretching to each side as their owner knelt in front of him, gazing right back with eyes that made his insides warm and comfortable. He wondered if the cold stares and frigid personality were part of the cloaked persona, to drive any suspicion of not being from human birth.

Arthur announced, "Pardon my earlier roughness. I will explain, but first, it would be wise to get out of this wind, preferably before you become an ice pop."

...Perhaps it was just his normal personality.

It felt unnatural to glare into the angel's green eyes with newfound resentment, but Matthew felt like he had every right to demand, "Why were you trying to drown me?!"

Arthur curled his nose and leaned away. "Drown you, Matthew?"

Suddenly, that forming bruise on the angel's cheek looked very attractive, and he had to admit after that whole ordeal, he was feeling bright and new again. "Yeah, that's what I said! You have no business dragging me from my home and dunking me into a pond in the middle of winter!"

"No business?!" Arthur was truly offended by that, shown in his palm smacking to his chest. "You were housing a _demon_ under your roof! It is every bit my business to take care of the problem!"

"There wasn't a problem! I let him stay there on my own."

"So you may think." The angel crept closer with his wings stretching from his back, similar to an owl when threatened. "I am not surprised that you do not realize that you're under demonic possession."

" _Pfft,_ " Matthew never heard something more ridiculous, and he had Alfred for his brother! "Demonic possession? Sure."

Arthur would not have any of it. "Do not get lippy with me, _boy._ It looks like we are going to have ourselves another dunk in the pond, and again and again, until your mind clears and you can be purged of the sin that clouds your judgment!"

"Like Hell you are!" Matthew had caught on that the angel liked to literally _pounce_ on people and whisk them away for an unpleasant bath time, so when that was about to happen, he shot forward at the same time Arthur did. Both collided, smacking their heads together, and Matthew's greater weight forced his captor back into the grass. They were a scramble of flailing arms, wreathing legs, and ugly (and honestly outdated from Arthur's end) curses until a new set of feet stomped over to the spatting duo and ripped Matthew away.

Matthew landed on his rear end with a grunt, all glares and angry huffing until he heard none other than his brother's voice demanding, "Dude! Why were you trying to strangle Arthur?!"

"He was trying to drown me!"

"Dude, why were you trying to drown Mattie?!"

Arthur spat, "I was not! If I were trying to drown him, the little fool would be dead by now! I am surprised he is even still alive at the moment, since he has one of the worse cases of demonic possession I ever seen in my life!"

Matthew's glasses were flung off his face from the angel's defensive smacks when they were still tangled on the grass, so all he saw was an ethereal glow lunge forward again, but his brother's shape was there to stop him. "I am _not_ possessed by any demon! Why do you keep saying that?! If I were really possessed, do you think he would have took me back home when I asked him to?"

"This is what exactly what I mean! It does not even cross your mind to consider getting help! Alfred, help me get him back into the water."

Matthew promptly scooted backwards, but before his brother moved in any direction, a long screech echoed across the field. Alfred looked up and scrambled to his feet. "I think we have other things to worry about!"

* * *

 _Blehps, or things I maybe should have added:_

(1) "I was getting comfortable with not having my cloak on. It felt as if I were going to pass out with it." Ivan fell quiet for a moment. "If I passed out, would you catch me in your arms?"

"What the fuck?" said Matthew.

"Please?"

(2) "Why you!" Arthur's lip curled as he took a step toward the boy. "Did your father ever teach you manners?!" After a moment of consideration, he faltered, "Pretend I never asked that."

Somewhere in England, Francis shivered, and not because of the cold.


	21. Chapter 20

They heard the angry whoosh and flapping of wings, but the demon had tangled with the darkness, so he was in all of their ears, but nowhere to be seen. Matthew jumped when his brother hollered, and Alfred dove on top of him. Arthur managed a sharp take of air, probably to scream as well, but he was cut off as an enormous black blur crashed into him. The clump of shadow and light bounced and skittered against the grass, away from the boys before ripping itself apart.

"Alfred," Matthew tugged on his brother's hoodie, "I can't see anything. What's happening?"

"Uh, I see your glasses. Hold on!" Alfred slipped away, separating the two of them at the worse time. The darkness was alive with snarls, and the blur of light shot away from it. He squawked and ducked just in time for Arthur to sail over him, and he grabbed the lens resting amongst the grass. He incoherently cried out as he scrambled away just as the demon shot forward in pursuit. "Mattie! I got them!"

"Are you all right?"

"Uh, I think so!" Alfred handed over the glasses, and Matthew almost jabbed his eye while shoving them into place. "What are we going to do?!"

Matthew's whole body was shaking along with his head in cold dissent. _Nothing!_ "Do you really want to get in the middle of that?"

Arthur suddenly stopped, and just when a roar of delight sounded from the cloud of darkness, and outstretched claws reached for his glow, he sprung from the ground and flipped backwards, over Ivan's hunched height. The demon stumbled, but caught himself on his hands before whirling on his target, who zipped away, as far away and quickly as possible.

Alfred exclaimed, "We can't just sit here and watch!"

"What do you expect to do? Do you have any plans for breaking them apart?!"

"Actually, it's funny that you asked that!" Alfred stood up, and hollered, "Hey! Hey! Artie! Yo, stop fighting!" He snuck over his shoulder, "Mattie, come on, call off your demon, would you?"

It was the only idea on the table. Matthew grabbed his brother's sleeve and hoisted himself off the ground. He cupped his hands around his mouth and tried, "Ivan! Ivan, it's okay! I'm all right! You guys...ugh, Alfred, this isn't working."

Alfred stamped his feet on the ground and flapped his arms, "Hello! Stop fighting already, you're both going rip one another apart!"

The demon let out a short cackle, as if delighted by the thought as he threw an elbow backward, and it collided into Arthur's previously punched cheek (courtesy of Matthew). Arthur tumbled onto the grass, and Ivan stalked after his fallen figure. The angel spat as he feebly scrambled backwards, "St-stay out of this, boys!"

It seemed like Alfred was out of verbal ideas, so not knowing what else to do, he lifted his leg behind himself and ripped off his sneaker. Ivan's arms were poised to flay the angel splayed on the grass, but then a flying shoe hit and bounced off of one of the horns curling against the side of his head. He took a startled sniff, and snapped to face the new attacker.

"Uh..." Alfred backed away as a wide grin stretched across Ivan's face as he crept forward. "Nice demon?" He shrieked when Ivan flounced across the field, going right toward them.

 _For crying out loud._ Matthew pulled on the back of his brother's over shirt to step in front of him. "Okay, you can stop, Ivan. Please! Alfred was just being stupid." His voice jumped to a frightened octave, "Don't come over here!"

The demon sprung to a stillness just inches away from the brothers, jarred from their shouts of shock and fright. The darkness around him eased as he slowly lifted a claw to lightly touch Matthew's cheek. "Matthew?" He slightly flinched as the boys leaned away. "Do not look so scared. I won't hurt you."

"Don't hurt my brother, either!"

"He threw something at me."

"Uh...he's an idiot."

Alfred squeezed Matthew's shoulders. "Hey!"

Arthur slowly rose from the ground, glaring hot pin-pricks into Ivan's back. He reached behind himself and produced some sort of stick from the hem that bound his toga together.

"Did the angel hurt you?"

"N-no."

Ivan chuckled, "You are a good person, Matthew, but that does not mean you should lie to help someone that doesn't deserve it!" He threw his elbow out again when Arthur charged toward him, but this time, Arthur ducked and rolled amongst the grass. Ivan jumped away from the twins as the angel leaped to his feet, but when he was about to lunge at him, Arthur raised a black stick with a golden star at the end. "Not so fast!"

Alfred asked, "Is that a freaking dollar store toy?!"

"Is it?" The demon asked, not looking very threatened.

"Be quiet back there." Arthur jabbed the stick at the demon when he leaned in to inspect the pointy parts. "Stay away from these boys, and I may just let you crawl back to where you came from. You can stop things from getting out of hand, before you or anyone else gets hurt."

"Hm, no. You see, Matthew and I were just relaxing, and then out of nowhere you...popped up and stole him away." A smile lifted Ivan's cheeks, but the gesture was all but friendly. "If you so kindly give him back, I will consider not plucking each and every feather from your wings, yes?"

"You think I am going to surrender any soul to the likes of you?"

"Why not?"

"W-why...I will not!"

"Oh, you must mean you cannot." Ivan performed a little circle with his finger in the air. "You will get into a lot of trouble with the big wings if you do. That must be very annoying, not able to do whatever-"

Arthur hollered incoherently, and lashed his 'weapon' at the demon's face. Ivan flinched and hissed, cupping his palm over his cheek. His eyes widened and he scurried away, bewildered over something that seemed like a children's toy. Except this toy began glowing as its wielder marched after him. "You...I warned you. I warned you before, and I warned you again. Yet you did not listen. Your kind never listens! The only way you will ever learn is if you die!"

"That seems a lot," Ivan said, and blinked in confusion as the strange wand siphoned its wielder's glow for its own to brighten and illuminate his face. "You do not believe that I did not come here looking to fight, although it has been fun. So, thank you, but I think I am going to take back what was mine-"

A focused stream of light erupted from the stars' points, and Arthur stumbled back from the power that spilled from his weapon. Whatever Ivan was babbling cut off to a high scream of pain as he was engulfed in the excruciating brightness. Alfred and Matthew blinked like flickering bulbs, and the latter cried out the demon's name.

Alfred grasped Matthew's arm when he yanked forward. "Wait! Don't go over there!"

"Your boyfriend is hurting Ivan!"

"He's not...ugh! That's not important right now! _You_ could get hurt, and two people hurting is worse than one!"

An angry battle cry stole both of the brothers' attention. Arthur recovered from his momentary daze, and sprinted at his hunched adversary with his wings beating to propel him forward. Ivan snapped his head up at the sound of Arthur's flapping, and weaved to one side, before blindly throwing a strong arm out. The boys gasped, clutching onto one another, but the heavenly being bent backwards in enough time to avoid his own arm from being ripped off.

However, Ivan's clawed hand caught a hold of the wand, and it splintered in his clutch. Arthur danced away from the other arm sweeping in front of him. Ivan shook his hand, and backed away with his head swinging side to side. That crazy light had chased away the shadows shrouding him with the night, _and_ blinded him.

"My wand!" Arthur cried, as if he were at a greater lost than the demon. He took a step to the side to circle around him, but Ivan kept twisting to face him, pinpointing wherever his sandals glided against the grass. He gave a warning hiss, unsuccessfully trying to see through the black dots dancing in his blurred vision.

Of course, the angel did not listen, and glided off the ground and around Ivan for an opening. Ivan spun in many directions, thinking he was facing Arthur, but he ducked and danced, avoiding the wild flails while jabbing and tossing quick punches to his body, trying to crumble his resolve bit by bit. Arthur threw an upper cut just below Ivan's left wing, and yelped from the force his fist made contact with the wall of muscle.

Ivan snapped his head to the sound of pain coming from behind him, and kicked backwards. The unforeseen maneuver caught the angel on his own shin, who crumbled onto the grass. The demon spun around, able to make out a figure of white on the ground through his fury and clearing blindness, and lunged for the opening.

"Artie!" Alfred yelped, promptly being elbowed by his brother in another attempt to wiggle from his overbearing embrace. Arthur's limbs were like twigs next to Ivan's; it was too easy to imagine them being snapped in half so easily.

Matthew hollered in his brother's ear, "You just told me not to go over there!"

The demon slammed himself to the ground, grunting and flopping onto the grass, not another body. He let out an angry yet confused growl, trying to pinpoint where the heavenly being had mysteriously vanished. Holding his injured hand to his chest, Ivan shot to his feet, stumbling from the pinches and grasps of pain from the bruises forming over his body. By scenting the breeze, he pinpointed where the two brothers were, and lunged toward them before the angel could completely ruin everything.

He only ventured outside to grab Matthew back and stash him somewhere safe and warm for his hurt foot. Also, since he was there, Ivan figured he would bat the angel around a few times for stealing him away, but things loved to never go to plan. He knew these heavenly creatures managed to dominate and maintain the surface from anybody eying their food, but shooting beams of light and magic wands was just insane, even to him.

His vision cleared, seeing two pairs of scared eyes on his hulking figure. The wind ripped at his clothes as he reached a clawed hand out. Arthur was going to interrupt at any second, and his eyes stung from knowing that as his path was intercepted from the spark of light flashing in front of him. Ivan's mouth clamped shut as it was hanging open in panicked breaths, and a look of disappointment flashed across his face. It lasted for a brief moment before the angel materialized, and sent him soaring through the night air with another mysterious attack, this time being his exposed palms producing shock waves that knocked the air out of Ivan's chest.

Ivan squeezed his eyes shut just before slamming to the ground, and tumbling onto his face. His wings twitched to lessen his fall, only too late. The cold ground ripped at his jaw and the horn that was scoring a thin trench into the grass. He groaned, shuddering at the chill, and clutched at the sensation of his horn becoming loose. The thick skin around it tore, leaving blood on his finger tips when he worryingly grabbed at the side of his head.

Arthur hollered, "I told you to stay away from these boys!"

Ivan cranked his neck in the direction of the angel stomping toward him, balling his hands into fists as they braced to attack again. "Oh, so you can boss _me_ around, but when I do...Ugh, this is just so silly! If you keep hush-hush about Matthew, you would not get into trouble, and maybe we could be happy instead of...this..." He clamped his mouth shut when he caught his babbles turning borderline pleading. "Okay, since we cannot get along like civil beings..."

He flickered his gaze to the side of Arthur's quickly approaching legs, whose ethereal glow began intensifying. Matthew was huddled against his brother in comfort and warmth from being dunked into a near freezing pond, and stared back with a face devoid of color. He lifted his hand and made an urgent beckoning motion. _Let's get out of here._

The demon did not need a blinking neon sign to tell him twice. Alfred jumped against Matthew's side as Ivan shimmered from across the field to tackling his brother to the ground. "Mattie!" He ripped his remaining shoe off, and posed in a threatening stance, but Matthew shook a hand at him.

"No! It's all right!"

Ivan picked up his head and grinned when the angel cried in horror and scrambled toward them. Matthew hissed in his ear, "Stay down!" and slipped from his embrace to shimmy around his friend and shield him behind himself. The demon shifted, and brushed against Matthew's protective stance. His arms were held out from both sides, undaunted as he and the angel stared at one another. Everyone was quiet, gawking at one another with baited breaths.

Arthur's mouth pulled down to an expression of vague disgust and shock. "What are you doing?"

"That's enough, don't you think?" It was obvious that Matthew was cold and frightened, but he knew it was not for himself.

Arthur scoffed, "Nothing is enough until that demon is dead."

"Why? He did not do anything to harm anyone or jeopardize his identity. I'm not even brainwashed as you claim I am. Why can't you leave us alone?"

Alfred started to nibble on his fingers, and glanced between everyone.

The angel slowly lowered himself to kneel before Matthew and intently studied his face. He pointed to his cheek. "Do you see what you did to me when I tried to help you? Yet you are claiming that you know you have done it completely and utterly on your own will? Without influence?"

Alfred blurted, "Whoa! _You_ did that, bro?"

Arthur pushed his face away, and Alfred angrily grunted, dramatically flopping onto the grass. "Well, Matthew?"

 _What do I have to say for myself?_ Matthew thought sarcastically. "Yeah. I thought you were trying to drown me. You did not exactly say you were 'cleansing' me or whatever you call it."

Ivan put in, "Even though you did not need it in the first place. Matthew is very clean-"

"Be quiet, demon," Arthur held out a palm toward Ivan, but kept his eyes on Matthew. "He may have not done anything to you, but it is mandatory to take care of these sorts of things when they arise. I forgive you, and I hope you forgive my urgency." A shy smile brightened his injured face. "You are a kind spirit. I know you boys cannot resist to help someone you believe is in need, but I insist that you no longer roam with a demon, or...whatever you have between yourselves."

"Um, I'm not 'roaming' with him because he's a demon. I'm doing it because he's my friend. That's what friends do."

"Yes, I understand this very important to you right now, but it is time for you to consider where you want to go in the long run. Why suffocate amongst the fires of Hell when you can join us, and nurture and praise life as you know it? This is what we do, Matthew. I am not aiming to harm you in anyway, but I must cut the weeds choking your roots if it means for you to grow."

Ivan nudged the Matthew's shoulder blade and lightly laughed in his ear. "You will be grown and nurtured into a nice juicy soul for the angels to eat, or to feed their garden. Whatever it is angels do in their free time."

The image of a devil and angel on his shoulders did not seem so ridiculous to Matthew now. "Ivan, hush, you're going to make him angry...more angry." Matthew turned back Arthur, who was visibly clenching his jaw and staring at the sky. "It's a nice offer, but I'm going with the flow right now. You know, going out and having fun, relaxing at home..."

Arthur nodded, "All of God's children eventually return home. There is no need to rush." His voice grew gentle, "These things take well-needed time."

Matthew glanced behind himself with a big smile of relief. Ivan lifted his dark expression for one of pleasant surprise.

However, Arthur's tone suddenly sharpened as his wings slowly stood from his back. "But Matthew, those... _creatures_ are no longer considered children of God. I cannot, and will not turn the other way while he continues to prance around!"

"Huh?!" Matthew snapped to the angel. "So you'll let me go after this, but Ivan has to suffer because of my choices?"

"He is his own being, too, with his own choices. I warned him many times to back off, and yet he still stayed. A demon's temper brings innocent people at risk. I am doing this for the safety of everyone else!"

"No!" Matthew pushed to his feet when Arthur did. "He isn't doing anything wrong!"

Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "Then why would you remain on the surface if you want to stay with a demon so bad?"

"I am sticking up for another person, not because he's a demon or whatever! That doesn't matter-"

The angel gasped, deeply offended. "It _does_ so matter!"

"Mattie!" Alfred called, "Come on!" However, neither of them exactly knew what they had to 'come on' about.

"Not to me!" Matthew barked. "I could care less about this whole Heaven and Hell thing! I won't let anyone hurt someone else if I could stop it!"

"You are an ignorant little boy!" Arthur seethed, "I was beginning to understand the drive of your feelings, assuming your soul still needed to grow, but this...! This supposed Heaven and Hell thing is life and death! Who do you think nurtures and takes care of your spirits when you pass on?! I still cannot believe how ungrateful you humans are despite it all!" Matthew flinched from the angel's spittle, shocked how red Arthur's face had gotten. "Ah," he let out a strange mix of a snort and a scoff, as if he was calming himself down, but it was not like that at all. "Although some souls, no matter how much we try to nurse them, take to the darkness..."

"Artie, no!" Alfred scrambled to his feet when the angel's glow began to brighten. He leaped over Ivan, shoved pass his brother, and threw his arms around Arthur's figure. Arthur gasped, stumbling from the force of the embrace.

"What in the world are you doing?!" Arthur stuck his hands to Alfred's face and tried pushing him away.

Alfred squeezed his eyes shut as his glasses were dislodged from his ears, tumbling to the ground. "Mattie, go! I got him!"

"Huh?" Matthew scooted away from their spat, almost tripping backwards over Ivan. "Are you sure?"

"Yep! _Urgh!_ We got stuff to talk about anyway!"

"Oh, no you don't! Let go of me! Get back here, you two!" Arthur clamped onto his ears, pulling them mercilessly, and backed away to escape Alfred's clutches, but only succeeded in taking the teen with him. "You are not siding with that demon!"

"I'm siding with my brother!" Alfred screeched, tilting his head when his eye was almost unintentionally jabbed from the weakened angel's struggles. He tightened his grip around his body, and plucked him from the ground so he could not easily escape. "I just want my bro to be happy! If he's chill with staying here, and if he keeps the demon dude in place, then let him!"

Arthur grabbed the sides of Alfred's head so he faced his own glare. "Alfred Bonnefoy, you are not in the position to place command over me!"

"Really, dude? You want to talk about positions right now? I'm not the one kicking and screaming like a cranky toddler!"

"This is serious business, young man!"

"I am being serious!"

Matthew and Ivan did not look back despite the loud bickering breaking out in the cold, dark field. "Let's hurry up a little more, okay?"

There was a loud thump, followed by the sound of his brother and the angel squabbling on the ground. Ivan flinched. "But the angel-"

"I stalled him, at least for a little while. Come on, we need to get you patched up."

"You need dry clothes," Ivan noted, and tapped Matthew's lips with a finger. "I would say you are turning unpleasant colors, but you have no color anymore!"

"No shit," Matthew said lightheartedly. A strong arm snaked around his back, and he leaned into the heated body, sweet relief to his waterlogged limbs.

"Oh, you are cold!" Still, Ivan did not let go. "What about your foot? Does it not hurt anymore?"

Matthew smiled and shook his head. "As much as I don't like that guy at times, Arthur can do miraculous things."

Alfred had his entire body pinning Arthur face down to the ground, violently shaking his head, looking traumatized yet determined as the angel twisted around to repeatedly smack anywhere he could manage. "Ow, ow! No way, man! You're just gonna- ow!- run over there and turn into a flashlight-ow!"

"That is me summoning heavenly goodwill, you nitwit! Unhand me this instant, or else I...I...!"

"You'll what?" Alfred fueled the angel's temper with obnoxious cackling.

"I will do terrible things!" Arthur spat, smacking the grass as he was crushed.

"Lame, dude!"

"I will show you lame-!"

Ivan let out wheezy laughter as they reached the dead end leading back to the suburbs. "To think a human boy would be enough to detain a heavenly being."

"Not just heavenly beings, Ivan," Matthew reached up and tugged on the demon's ear, earning a soft "Ow!" "Come on, then," he urged, "before we turn into walking popsicles."

"Too late," Ivan giggled. He piped down with a soft groan, and quietly asked, "When you said those things about me, were you telling the truth, or were you just trying not to get yourself killed?"

Matthew scoffed, "Both? I was trying not to get the _both_ of us killed."

"But why? Many humans would cry in joy at the... _opportunity_ an angel offers."

Flipping through his brain, amongst the various reasons of why, Matthew picked one of the best ones. "I did it because you're my friend."

"Really? That is the reason why?"

"Is that not a good one? Does there have to be other, possibly better reasons?"

Despite his aches, pains, and limping, Ivan warmly smiled. "No. That reason is good enough for me."

"Good. Oh, and Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't try to attack my brother again."

"That's fair."


	22. Chapter 21

The way back to the Bonnefoy house was a marathon, and the doorway was the finishing line, wide open for anybody to qualify as a 'winner,' or robber, depending on intentions.

Matthew asked, "Did _you_ leave the door open? I don't remember going out that way."

Ivan tucked his chin into his scarf. "I had other things on my mind."

"It's going to take a little while to heat up then, since the warm air is most likely all gone. After we get you fixed up, I'll make some hot chocolate, okay?"

"After we get _you_ fixed up. Your lips are blue! They are not supposed to be like that!"

Matthew busted into shaky laughter despite the constant source of warmth against his side, and giddiness as he blurted, "You could always make it better!"

"Hm? With hot chocolate? I would help you, but I do not know how to make it."

"Y-yeah! What a stupid thing to say!" Matthew snorted on his forced laughter. "I don't even know why I said it!"

Ivan leaned his head forward to eye him in concern. "That angel did weird things to you!"

They stumbled into the hallway, and Matthew twisted around to shut the door before pulling toward the stairs. "Let's go with that. Come on."

"Where are you going? Hot chocolate is in the kitchen, yes?"

Matthew grimaced, eyeing the wide doorway leading to the kitchen. "It is, but it should be warmer upstairs, and maybe the flowers in my bedroom will take your mind off things."

"I gave you those flowers in your bedroom," Ivan whispered, giggled for a moment, but then hissed, and grabbed at his side, only to flinch from the shards in his palm. "Oh, it hurts to laugh. How sad."

Once they shambled into the bedroom, Matthew guided the demon to his bed and told him to sit down. "I'm going to get a first aid kit. Just hang tight for a few moments, okay?"

"Hang tight?" Ivan echoed. "Can I hang loosely?" He shook his injured hand. "Wait, Matthew!"

Matthew spun around beneath the doorway. "Yeah?"

"You need to remove those clothes."

Matthew's eyes widened. "What?" His hand clamped onto his hoodie, which was still damp and heavy, and he dropped his gaze to the carpet. "Oh, um, right." He breezed to his dresser and ripped open a drawer in agitation at himself.

The demon crooned again, "Wait, Matthew!"

"What? What!"

Ivan tipped his head, managing to crinkle his eyes in a cheeky smile. "Can you wear those silky pajamas? I like those."

Matthew looked over his shoulder, staring at his friend in a moment of shock. "Ivan, that outfit is all the way downstairs in that bag I left in the kitchen."

"I can wait! Most of the pain is something only time will heal, anyway."

"You're the one that's hurt. Now I am going to take longer."

"That is fine! I will be right here!"

Matthew rolled his eyes, but his rudeness was trampled by his coy smile, although the demon on his bed did not see the gesture as he clumsily hurried out of his bedroom. He caught the thermostat in the downstairs hallway, and cranked it all the way to the other side. He then stared at the number, realizing if he kept it like that, within an hour, the house would be over ninety degrees. Although that sounded wonderful at the moment, as he was waddling around in damp, heavy clothes, he twisted the knob back to a more appropriate temperature.

His back pack was sitting on the island countertop, and he pawed through the contents, catching the scent Ivan carried with him from his home. Matthew smacked his palms to the counter, looked up to the ceiling light, and aggressively sighed at himself. "Are you done yet?" He took another sniff, and grumbled as he leaned forward and stuffed his face against the top layer of clothes sticking out of the bag. _Stupid, stupid! I can't even get a grip on myself. Poor Ivan; he doesn't know that I'm such a creep!_

"Papa, help me. What would you say?" Matthew picked up his head and affixed his glasses. "Did I seriously just ask that aloud? 'Ooh! My little boy! You finally have tasted _l'amour!_ What a beautiful thing!'" He busted into laughter at his horrible accent, as his father never lost it despite moving overseas many years ago.

 _Love...of course, just when I said I would not_ ever _get all stupid because of a crush, look what happens!_ Matthew would not (could not) deny it to himself; he started crushing on the guy when they began making plans together, which was after he was done thinking Ivan was some creeper. Now he was the creeper! _Blech, crushing is such a flimsy word! I think I like...infatuation better. Wait, I don't like this at all!_ This was supposed to be a beautiful thing, not a hot, awkward, stringy ball of mess!

"And what would Alfred do, huh?" Matthew spun around to see his mouth yammering in the window reflection. "He'd probably laugh, just like anyone else that would see me talking to myself. Wow. Cuckoo!" He scooped his bag in his arms, streaked up the stairs, and slipped into the shared bathroom between him and his brother. A hot shower sounded like a goldmine at the moment, but Matthew heard that if he did not gradually warm himself, it could lead to shock, and he had enough things and people to worry about. His dressing was occupied with hoping Alfred would be able to get some sense into the angel, somehow, even if that meant they were still laying the grass late at night. Maybe not too late, since it was still winter, and school would call them to awaken early.

Matthew snorted, ruffling his honey locks with a hand towel. "I'm not going to school tomorrow," he decided, and brightened at that. He imagined what his absence excuse would look like.

 _To whom it may concern,_

 _Matthew Bonnefoy was absent on xx/xx/xxxx due to a headache caused by his brother, an angel, and a demon. Thank you for understanding how this is a dire enough issue to miss a day of 'education.'_

Next year's handy book will be handed out with an added bullet point to the list of illegitimate excuses; _involvement of otherworldly beings._ Matthew snickered at the main office's secretaries' possible reactions. He drooped the towel on its hook beside the sink's counter, and snatched the medical kit from the shelves stacked up the wall next to the shower. He then breezed out of the bathroom, flicking off the light, much more comfortable, if still cold to the touch.

Just when he was about to push open his bedroom door, Matthew glanced down from a chill against his chest and realized he never buttoned up his night shirt. He clamped a hand over the fabric and ran backwards on his tiptoes, away from his room. Setting down the blue suitcase, his frozen fingers stiffly tried to slip the buttons into their proper slots, wondering about that angelic light that let him make it back home from being dunked in a pond during such a cold night. He ducked down, grabbed the medical kit and skittered into his bedroom.

Ivan was still on his bed, trying to pluck the shards of Arthur's wand from his palms with his teeth, but only managed to drool, push the splinters in his skin further, and bite himself. He yelped and growled at his misfortune, and whipped around to face the newcomer. He took his hand from his face, and it lamely dropped on the mattress as he watched his friend draw closer. Matthew was clutching onto the medical kit, promising to soothe all those nicks and scrapes and nasty splinters, but his eyes were on anything but the suitcase.

"Look at you, smiling like that."

"Ivan," Matthew giggled, "don't say stuff like that." _What a joke._ He settled on the mattress, flipped the medical kit's hatches open and glanced over its supplies. "What's hurting the most?"

The demon lifted his palm to his dirt smeared face to chew at the splinters. "Everything? That little angel had a lot of power in him."

"Really?" Matthew motioned for Ivan to surrender his injured hand and his sarcasm was strong, "He must have given you a pretty hard time, then."

"Yes, he did!" Ivan did not even flinch when Matthew pulled out a particularly large black shard from his palm. "Perhaps you should try fighting someone that can spill holy light and these...strong booms from his hands."

"Oh, I already did, thanks. I managed to punch him in the face."

"Ah, yes, that was you. For what?"

Matthew was about to say he was throwing punches because he thought Arthur was trying to end him via drowning, but he did not need Ivan busting out the window to hunt him down again at the moment. "Uh...you weren't the only one that was mad that I was ripped away from my own home."

"What I would give to see that." Ivan turned his head away to grimace at the wall. "Arthur had no business with you. If he wanted to fight, then why did he not simply ask me? His kind acts like this is their world, as if everything in it lives to glorify them, and those who do not...well, you see what happens."

As the complaints turned into grumbles, Matthew tugged on another big splinter. He peeked at Ivan's face, but he did not make anymore noise besides his tail lashing back and forth on the bed. "Are you sure you want me to do this? I'm fine with it, but I don't know if you rather do it yourself..."

"No. It is easier and is less painful when you do it. Keep going."

"If you say so. Oops, I mean, _yes, sir._ " When Ivan gave him an odd look, Matthew lightly laughed.

"You do not have to call me-"

"I know. It was a joke. I was pulling your leg." Matthew's shoulders slouched, and he dropped the tweezers he was using back into the medical kit. "I was just...trying to...never mind. Sorry."

Ivan turned his palm up to examine the dots of dark blood against his skin. "Why are you apologizing?"

Matthew shrugged, and grabbed a small sealed packet. "I was just being stupid."

"Stupid?" His friend snorted. "Why would you say that? That is an ugly word. Would a stupid person get all these splinters out of my hand?"

"I...well, it wasn't that hard. I just have a lot on my mind, all right? So, I apologize a lot. Come on, I need your hand again. I'm going to wipe it with an alcohol wipe, so it will sting."

"Alcohol?"

"Don't get too excited. This is the kind you don't want to drink."

As if his wounds did not burn, Ivan hummed in content. "Alcohol. Your father has a nice stash of it, too, and he is gone for long times while it sits." He leaned forward to catch Matthew's eye. "Just thinking about it makes me thirsty!"

Matthew swatted him away with a wee snicker. "All right, I get it." Normally, he would not recommend chugging a whole bottle of vodka, but the both of them been through Hell and back that night. Literally. "Hot chocolate and vodka, though? Isn't a weird mix?"

Ivan simply said, "Vodka goes with a lot of things, if not everything."

"So, you're feeling better?"

The demon smiled as Matthew took a new wipe and started to scrub the side of his face that had drag marks of grass and blood stretching to his cheek. "I have a good friend taking good care of me. All I need is a good drink, and then everything will be perfect."

Matthew stopped for a moment as his heart fell into his stomach with guilt. His _friend_ tipped his head with a _friendly_ smile on his face. "Uh, yeah, it's been fun." He flushed with shame, but tried not to pay it much mind as he resumed his gentle cleaning.

Matthew's light eyes narrowed to focus and apply pressure to wash all the grit and dried blood from the drag marks, and then set back to a more docile expression as he ran his fingertips across the divots. He could not let himself think of how warm Ivan's skin felt beneath his care; "Hm, still bleeding."

"What is that?"

"The gauze will help the wound not get dirty and drip blood everywhere. Just keep still..."

Once the medical tape was against his face, Ivan said, "Tada!"

"Yep! What's next?"

"Ah," the demon gave himself a little shake, and lifted a hand to the side of his head. "My head was bleeding earlier. I think my horn became dislodged!"

"Uh oh," Matthew rose to his knees and brushed pale hair out of the way. "Hm, no, it's still pretty attached." He gently pinched the structure, jerking away as its owner sharply inhaled. "I'm sorry!"

"Matthew, I have been hurt more tonight alone than that."

"I know, but I don't want to hurt you more than you already have," Matthew admitted, carefully spreading any flyaway strands away from the raw skin. As he dabbed a rag along the affected area, his friend sighed and closed his eyes against the rhythmic touches. It was awkward to get any bandaging around the base and under the extra appendage, but at least the gauze kept tight.

"Ivan?"

"Hm?" Ivan's eyes blinked open. "What?"

"I think I'm finished," Matthew announced, shifting back into a sitting position as he gathered the bloody wipes and splinters. "Does that feel better?"

Ivan lifted a hand to brush the bandages around the base of his pulled horn, and trailed down to tap the gauze on his face. His cheeks uplifted. "Wow."

"Is...is it good enough? I'm not a doctor, obviously-"

Matthew yelped as the demon slung his arms around his waist and shoved him against himself in a crazy strong embrace. His eyes bugged out and he clenched his jaw, glaring at a blank spot on his bedroom wall as his friend affectionately rubbed the uninjured side of his face against his chest. "We struck wings with an angel, lived to laugh about it, _and_ you patched me up very good! This calls for celebration!"

"Yeah?" Matthew balled Ivan's now tattered coat in his fists as a clawed hand patted his backside. "Whoa, don't we have an angry angel to look out for?"

"You don't need your eyes to drink. Maybe I will share some of my vodka with you!"

Matthew lightly grunted as he went against all instinct and tried to push away, but Ivan did not seem to catch on. "I think I'm fine with just hot chocolate. You're going to have to let go so I can go make it, first!"

Ivan only giggled at his struggles, apparently not seeing the meltdown unfolding right in front of him. "There is no rush-"

There were several, heavy knocks on the bedroom door. Both inhabitants jumped, and Matthew tore himself away and almost tumbled face-first onto his carpet. Whoever was on the other side called out, "Mattie! Are you in here?"

Matthew sighed and swiped the back of his hand over his cheeks. "What is it, Alfred?"

Alfred busted into the room as if smoke were coming out of it. "Dude, we got to talk!" He glanced to the demon on the bed and pointedly nodded to the door. "Preferably alone?"

Ivan lifted a hand. "Bye-bye."

Matthew grabbed his brother's shoulders and spun him around. "Let's go out in the hall." He called over his shoulder, "Stay there!"

"I was going to!"

When he closed the door behind himself, Matthew turned to Alfred, who paced up and down the hall with a hand gripping his own chin in deep thought. His brother could easily imagine two billows of steam blowing out of his ears. "Mattie, whatever happened, I'm glad you're okay, but things are getting worse!" He rubbed his face with both hands, glasses bobbing up and down with the movements. "What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean what are we going to do? Ugh, we have to do something?"

"Uh, yeah, we got to do something! If we don't, then this whole thing is going to blow up into a huge freaking holy war!"

"Oh, that." Matthew already wanted to go back into his bedroom. "Al, this is so low-key, I don't know why everyone is making it into a big deal. Can't Arthur look the other way? Can't he leave us alone? We're not bothering anybody."

Alfred stopped going back and forth, "If it isn't Artie, then it'll be some other angel that catches on. I'm sorry, Mattie, but a demon shouldn't really be here in the first place. If you knew he was one, then why did you keep him around instead of...I don't know...exorcising him?"

"What?!" Matthew clenched his hands into fists, tempted to start throwing punches again. "How would you feel if I told you to tell Arthur to go pound salt? Oh, wait, you won't, because they're _angels._ Beautiful, innocent, demon-punching angels."

"Ha, beautiful and innocent?" Alfred gave his head a little shake. "You're the one that's saying that. Don't you think there's a good reason _why_ they work so hard to keep demons down in Hell, possibly where they belong? I said possibly!"

Matthew lifted his eyebrows at the opportunity that stretched before him. "Oh? You don't know?"

"Uh...because they'll terrorize people?"

"As if there aren't enough of other people doing that? The angels need humans, or at least they're in high demand. I'll give you that some demons should be chased away and stay in Hell, but they put up a 'keep out' sign for every single one of them because they're the only other natural competition they have."

"Huh? What do you mean?'

"Um...say you have...a burger. Yeah, you have a burger sitting in front of you, and you really want that burger."

Alfred smiled. "Yeah, I'd want that burger, but what does this-"

"Of course you would, but you can't have the burger if there's other people trying to have the burger, too."

"Well, I'd just shove it in my mouth!"

"It would be pretty hard to while everyone is trying to grab and eat it at the same time you are. You aren't going to get _all_ the burger if that keeps happening."

"So...you're calling us...people burgers?"

"Yes, we're the burgers to the angels trying to eat us, and everyone else trying to grab the burger are the demons. That's why the angels try to keep the demons away, so they can get all of the burger."

"I get what you mean, but angels don't eat us."

"Not the way we eat burgers, but we're still a resource to angels, Alfred. Haven't you ever asked Arthur why he's hanging around all this time?"

Alfred confidently replied, "'Cause he's my friend, and I'm showing him what people do!"

Matthew stared at his brother for a quiet moment before tossing his hands up. "Ugh, that's what I'm doing with Ivan!"

"No way? That's crazy!" Alfred's jubilant expression soured, "Yeah, that _is_ a little crazy. There's got to be something else to it."

"Al, please listen to me..." _For once, let's be serious!_ "I know it's great to finally know and to have something more to life, and maybe Arthur is really a good pal to you, but the main reason they're like this is because they feed off of us. Not all zombie-like, I mean they hang around and like, bathe in our good vibes or something."

"Huh? Artie never said anything about that." Alfred narrowed his eyes. "Where'd you hear that from?"

Matthew sighed. "Ivan." He shook his hands at his brother, "Wait, wait, wait, before you start freaking out! The angels have that 'no demon' policy because they don't want them to eat that burger while they're eating, but what I'm trying to get across is that why can't Ivan stay? He's only one guy, and it's not like I plan on becoming demon chow anytime soon!"

" _Pfft_ , you said demon chow." Alfred cleared his throat and put his hands on his waist to get serious. Mostly serious. "Well, even if all that feeding stuff is true, and I guess Artie and I have even more things we have to discuss, I don't want Ivan eating your burger!"

"He's not going to, Al! I already told you that he's just visiting out of curiosity. That's why he went through all this to disguise himself. It was the only way he could hang around without anybody trying to kill him."

"Hey, that was self defense on Artie's part. Your guy literally tried to sky-dive onto him."

"Because Arthur had no business snatching me out of my own home?"

"He was doing his job!"

Matthew curtly suggested, "Let's _not_ get into this right now."

"Yeah, fine."

"Al, all I'm asking is if you could talk to Arthur about allowing him to stay here. Ivan will stay all covered up while he's on the surface, and he definitely won't be eating any humans."

"Jeez! I hope not!" Alfred shrugged off his surprise. "But Mattie, that's not up for me to decide. I mean, I can _try_ talking to him about it again, but he's on the edge of kicking Ivan out for good. That means he's going to-" He drug his finger across his throat, "-whether you like it or not this time!"

Matthew felt a hard pressure against his forehead when he pushed back the sting in his eyes. "Please, Al, there has to be _something._ He's one of the only friends I managed to make and keep, and I don't want to lose him over this."

"Mattie?" Alfred took a step forward. "Are you crying?"

"No. Almost. Does it matter?!"

"I-I just..." Alfred's voice lowered to a noisy whisper, "Are you sure you're just friends? Friends are important, too, but you're fighting tooth and claw about this!"

Matthew angrily hissed back, "Yes, we're just friends! I just care about him...a lot."

"Dude, you totally got the feelings! _The_ Feelings!"

"Keep your voice down!" Matthew panicked, and tossed a glance to his door. He squeezed by his brother to put distance between himself and his bedroom. "I said we're just friends."

"Yeah, but feelings don't care! I-!" Alfred's face scrunched in an extreme pucker. "Uh, lots of people got The Feelings for their friends."

Matthew gave in with a slouch. "It would only be worse if we were...something. Arthur would not believe a demon would have The Feelings, and wouldn't buy any of it." Almost persuading himself, "It would be a waste of time and embarrassment to try and fail."

"No, no. Maybe...!" Alfred danced side to side and wagged a finger at nothing in particular, which meant an idea was coming. "Maybe not a demon, but two people having The Feelings for each other! Ooh, if he only weren't a demon..." He sucked in a loud gust of air and stopped jigging. "Dude!"

"Dude, what?!"

"Okay, okay," Alfred shook his hands. "This is going to sound pretty stupid."

Matthew shrugged. "What else is new?"

"Come on! Anyway, what if Ivan wasn't a demon? I mean, what if we make him into a...not demon?"

"What, turn someone into something they aren't? I don't think you can do that."

"Hah! These are angels we're talking about, Mattie, not scientists! We could like, maybe neutralize his demonic thingies?" Alfred made a looping motion around the side of his head. "That light Artie does...it can...how do I explain it? I think he said it counteracts against sin and whatever else demons are full of. That's what...hey, that's what he was using during that fight they had!" He posed as if he were in a fight and his hands swished. "He was going all _pew_ and _pah_ and _whoosh!_ and Ivan was all like, 'Ahh!' I think it'll totally work!"

Before Matthew could also jump for joy, he had to ask, "This is amazing, but...would Arthur do it for a demon? For Ivan?"

Alfred froze in his leaning pose, and blinked a few times, thinking hard. "Well...I'm sure I can think something out! He'll listen to me!"

"Are you sure? It would be easier to do the thing than to get them to do it."

"Yeah, man! Like I said, we're pals! He's always listening!"

 _Oh, Al, you would think a lamp shade was listening to you if it nodded._ Matthew grimaced, but it was their only option on the table that they could think of. "Thank you so much, Al."

Alfred brightly grinned. "Sure thing!" He stepped forward to tap Matthew's arm. "You're my bro! Oh, and also-"

"You're a hero, and got to help people," Matthew finished his brother's usual claim with a genuine smile. "Are you staying here for the night?"

"I was just going to stay with Artie, since your guy is going to be chilling here. I don't want them at each other's throats again before we could even launch our plan!"

"Me, too. Wait, Arthur has a pad?"

"He's staying at the motel on the other side of the town, but right now, I think he's waiting on the roof."

"Oh, I thought he would go to Heaven whenever..."

"Nah, it's too much of a flight," Alfred swished a hand. "Besides, it's not like we could go there. Angels only."

"Ooh, that sucks."

"Yeah." Alfred smacked one hand against his palm and nonchalantly glanced around the hall. "So, where did you and Ivan disappear last night?"

"We went to Hell."

Without a doubt, "I knew it! Man, I thought you'd never come back from there! That's why I was freaking out, because I thought Ivan snatched you up and I wouldn't have ever seen you again!"

"Is that why Arthur came by, all rage and feathers, to dunk me into a pond? You were freaking out about my sleepover?"

"Sleepover? This. Is. Hell we're talking about! I didn't know you could come back up from there before!" Alfred clasped his hands together and gave them a shake, "Don't hate him! At least, not too much!"

Matthew crossed his arms and pointedly looked away for a moment, but a shy smile triumphed. "I suppose I can't. I'd be worried if you suddenly disappeared, too."

"Aw, man! Now you're giving me feelings!"

"Oh, please, you're full of feelings."

"Hey!" Alfred tried to look angry, but his laughter totally ruined it. "You were really in Hell? In actual Hell?"

"I would say so, yeah. Where else would demons come from?"

His brother was suddenly in his face, eyes wide with awe. "Is there lakes of fire? What about all the sinners screaming and burning for eternity? Did you see any other demons?" He gasped, "Was Satan there?!"

"Um," Matthew leaned away, curling his nose, "Should you _not_ be wondering about those kinds of things?" When Alfred only smiled, he sighed, "It's kinda like...some sort of dark, creepy desert, but with much more lava. Much, much more lava." He shuddered. "There's water, too, warm water, yuck, I know, but demons need it as much as we do. There is no screaming unless something scary happens." _Like she-demons threatening to castrate you._

Alfred's shoulders slouched. "They don't eat souls?"

"I don't think so. Maybe? They mostly eat meat that they hunt for. Ivan eats whatever is placed in front of him, really. They kind of have two stomachs."

"Dude..."

"Dude is right."

"Just...underground mountains and lava pits?"

"There's vegetation and some creepy animals, but mostly, yeah. It's much more...unoccupied by other demons than I thought. I only met his two sisters and no one else. I don't know _that_ much. I only stayed for one night." _All I really know, is that is it really lonely._

"Was it really hot? And sisters? Were his sisters hot?"

"Al," Matthew gave his brother a disapproving look, but Alfred stared expectantly as he bounced on his toes. "Yes, I felt like I sweated a gallon, and the sisters were..." His voice dropped, "They were scary, to be honest. One of them threatened to cut..." he gestured in front of his groin.

"Aw man, that's not cool! Did you give her the one-two?" Alfred held up fists, readying as if he were to punch.

"No! Are you kidding?! These are demon chicks I'm talking about!"

His brother winked, relaxing his offensive posture. "But where they hot?"

"They...they weren't ugly. All of them are rather attractive. The other sister was...sweet, a bit too sweet, and cried easily. And...um, I shouldn't say it, but she was..." Matthew brought his hands from his chest.

Alfred lifted his eyebrows, copying the gesture in confusion. "She was...? Oh. _Oh._ She had huge-"

Matthew flapped his arms, loudly shushing his twin. "Hush! Her brother is in the next room! Yes, but I tried not to stare. What about Arthur? You said Heaven has a 'Angel Only' policy?"

"Yeah," Alfred kicked the floor dejectedly. "I can't get there. One, Artie would have to carry me, and let's be honest, he's an amazing flyer and all, but he's not exactly like Mr. Meaty in your bedroom."

"It's not pleasant anyway," Matthew said. Flying was _definitely_ not pleasant when the flyer hurtled toward a huge pit of lava.

"Of course you'd say that, Mattie! I'd have to do it to believe it! Oh, and two, only angels can walk on clouds. Artie said it has to do with goodwill or something? I think it's because people are too heavy."

"Yeah, especially when they are loaded up on burgers," Matthew jabbed Alfred's stomach, earning a yell of shock. "What are you doing? Storing for hibernation?"

"Look who's talking, Sir I Like Some Pancakes With My Syrup! Isn't that stuff all glucose and hydroplaning fruit close?"

"High fructose? Al, don't start with the unholy things we both know you put in your mouth."

Light suddenly spawned behind Alfred, startling Matthew, but the other did not seem to notice. "Dude, what? Are you implying-"

Matthew's bedroom door flew open, and Ivan leaped into the hall, full of loud snarls. Alfred looked more offended than afraid. "Dude, are you seriously growling at me?"

Matthew backed away with an arm held out to his side. "No, not at you. Behind you."

Alfred jumped when slender arms snuck around his waist and clamped over his chest, pulling him away from his brother. He blurted what everyone else was thinking, "Oh, shit!"


	23. Chapter 22

_I have a very big crush on you, but sadly, I am only a little bug, and you are a garden._

* * *

As if they needed a warning, Alfred said, "You guys should stay back."

The hands clutching onto his shirt tightened their grip. "You've been gone for a while..."

"I told you I had to talk to my bro. Chill, the demon isn't going to eat me."

Arthur narrowed his eyes over Alfred's shoulder. "No...not you."

Matthew squinted right back. Goose bumps ran up his arms when Ivan loomed closer with a low grumble. Both of the brothers were the only barriers from the otherworldly fight sparking once more. "I think we're not the only ones that should stay back, either. You've made a point, Arthur. Just...keep away, okay? I'd like to discuss some things with Ivan before this matter is dealt with."

Alfred put in, "Yeah, and we need to talk about stuff, too!"

"Do we now?" Arthur did not take his eyes off of the demon. "It would be rude of me not to hear it, but know that we _will_ meet again, and I will not show mercy. Matthew, it is not too late...yet." Without waiting for a reply, both of them were rapidly engulfed in a bright light. Ivan hissed, and shielded himself behind Matthew.

"Oh, wow, that was...a little bright," Matthew noted, blinking away the little dots invading his vision as the hall was plunged into darkness once more. He rubbed at his face, and gave a little jump as his friend leaned against him again. "Uh, hey, are you all right?"

"I would like that hot chocolate now."

"Okay, then let's get some."

"And vodka."

Matthew promised as they thumped down the stairs, "I didn't forget."

Ivan immediately flopped on one of the stools at the island counter, staring down the black surface with a strong tangle of his eyebrows. He rubbed at his eyes, still bothered by that heavenly flash. Through the clanking of pots, and the teen preparing two mugs, no words passed between them. Matthew reached into a high cabinet and plucked out a sealed glass bottle. He turned around and gazed at his friend's back, hunched over his seat, and wanted nothing more to press against him and stay there until everything was better.

Of course, that was stupid in more ways than one. He brushed a clump of hair creeping into his face, like he tried to brush away his thoughts, and went around the counter to set the tall bottle of vodka on the surface. Ivan went to grab it, but looked up with a set frown when Matthew pulled it away and asked, "You never answered my question. Are you all right?"

"Yes!"

"Don't just say that so you can get your vodka."

"Oh, how you know me so well." Ivan replied tersely, "I am getting better. Maybe I just need to bathe. Maybe I am just thinking what I am going to use to bash that angel's skull in when he comes after us again." A smile stretched across his face, but it did not reach his eyes. "Maybe one of those pots you use would suffice. Ah, but that would be so typical, would it not? I am not looking hard enough. Maybe he would never expect me to rip out a pipe from beneath the sink, yes?"

Matthew dully stared him down. "No, because if you kill him, not only would Alfred be upset, which would make me upset, and I remind you, it's our house we're letting you stay in, and murdering somebody would get the police _and_ other angels involved." He pushed the bottle toward Ivan too roughly, who scrambled to grab it before it could fall over.

He drifted back to the stove to watch milk bubble as sounds of paper ripping and eager gulps sounded behind him. He started to feel sick for many reasons. Ivan let out a quiet, much more content sigh, "Your logic ruins me."

"Too bad. No more violence. Especially not here. Alfred and I are trying to pass off a plan to Arthur to get you to stay here, so _no one_ needs to die."

"A loophole?" Even if he did not buy it, Ivan asked, "What is it?"

Matthew switched the stove off and took the pot to the cups of cocoa powder. "During that fight, Alfred noticed that light Arthur was shooting off neutralized you. We are thinking that if we are somehow able to harness more of it, you would be able to be...well, not demonic, and you could walk on the surface without anyone complaining about it."

When his company did not respond, Matthew glanced behind his shoulder. "Ivan?"

Ivan took another deep swig of his bottle. "It is that, kill the angel, or go back to Hell for good. I do not have much choice do I?"

Matthew let go of the spoon he was stirring with and dropped his hand to the counter. The cocoa swirled in the cups, warm and ready to drink, but he knew he would not be able to get anything down his throat with the way it thickened with the sensation of his eyes stinging again. Even though Ivan had just verbally contemplated what to use to mash angel brains, he deduced, "Just go back to Hell."

There was a rustle of cloth as Ivan shifted on his stool. "What?"

A wet glob rolled off of Matthew's cheek and plopped on the counter, but he kept his blurred gaze on the tiled backsplash. He sucked a sharp inhale through his teeth to keep his tone low and even as possible, "Go. Back. To. Hell, Ivan. You'll..." A half agitated, half grief-stricken gripe escaped his throat, breaking his resolve even more. "You'll only get hurt more because of me."

"Huh?" The stool squeaked as Ivan shot to his feet. "Why would you say that?" He did not see Matthew squeeze his eyes shut from his question/demand, causing worse tears to leak out of his eyelashes. "You are not the one that pains me! It is that angel who acts like his kind is the only ones that walk the Earth that pains me, and for what? Because fools from above that have no idea what happens here tell him to? Because that is the way it always has been? Because they believe we cannot feel like they can, if not more?" His usually bubbly voice flattened as it climbed with anger, "I am pained by the way people believe they have to act! Yet you dare blame yourself?" He repeated, "For what, Matthew?!"

Matthew whirled around, with wet marks running down his red face and all, and his voice cracked as he shouted back, "I blame myself because if it weren't for me, none of this would have had to happen! I should have just left you in my backyard so you would have never left that blood sigil and I would never called you here, putting your own life at risk because I was stupid enough to let you! Now look where we are! You're all bruised and almost got killed because I had to get you tangled in this mess. You should have never wasted your time on me. So just go! Go back to Hell!"

Ivan narrowed his eyes, and his head shook back and forth, perhaps in defiance, perhaps in disbelief. Whatever he tried to say only came out as furious stammers, and Matthew turned his back on him again, quietly coughing from the tearing sensation in his throat. Then, he let out a pathetic laugh, "All of your fault because of that?"

After all that shouting, Matthew whispered, "Yes." He cupped his hand to his mouth and sobbed into his palm, believing he was daring to mourn when Ivan had better reasons to, which, of course, did not help matters at all. _And yet despite all of that, I have the audacity to begin to fall in love with you._

Through his soft weeping, a timid voice rose, "Matthew?"

Matthew jerked, blinked several times to register what happened as his hands slowly lowered from his face. "Oh, God...I just said that aloud, didn't I?" His house could have spontaneously explode, and that would actually be an improvement to his day. A fresh start! Not now. "I...I'm sorry."

He flung from the counter and sprinted away. Ivan made a lame motion to snag his sleeve, but his fingers only brushed the red fabric during Matthew's sudden escape. Matthew clipped against the doorway, then bumped into the stair well from his panic, and the downstairs bathroom was just down the hall. "No, no, no-"

Wispy darkness spilled into the hallway when Ivan materialized in front of him. Matthew gasped in horror, slipped from his socks and almost fell before scrambling backwards when he stepped forward. He was not smiling, and he was not scowling. With only a slight furrow of his eyebrows, the demon could have had anything on his mind, yet his friend only thought of terror, like he was going to be punched. He considered that perhaps he deserved it, but that did not stop his mouth from running.

"Ivan, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to happen! That wasn't supposed to come out!" Matthew glanced over his shoulder when his feet tripped over the change in flooring from the main hall to the kitchen. "I-it's just a little crush! It'll go away!"

The demon only stopped with a little tilt of his head when Matthew jumped against the island counter jabbing his lower back. Then he clamped his hands on both of Matthew's cheeks and demanded, "A crush?! Is that why you said those cruel things? Answer me!"

"Eek! Yes! Yes, okay?!" Matthew flinched as Ivan hovered closer to stare more intently at the tears streaking down his face. He drew a sharp breath and tried to pull away, but could not go anywhere, if he even managed to get away. "I said all those things, and yet you...you're still here. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me. Please don't hate-"

"No!" Matthew shut right up to gawk in horror when Ivan's expression and voice softened, "No more apologizing. You..." Ivan swiped a wavy bunch of his hair back and pressed closer to take a deep inhale. " _Mm,_ your kindness is the most cruel one I have ever seen. You are cruel, Matthew. Ah, but now you say that..." One of his hands crept to bury itself amongst Matthew's hair so he could press his lips to a damp cheek. "It's enamoring."

"Huh? It's...what?"

"I think I have crushing feelings, too." The great, big demon gave Matthew a shy little smooch on his lips. "That is how humans do it, yes?"

"Uh, um..." Matthew forced words to come from the tightness in his throat. "Yeah. Yes! That's good. Yeah..." He let out a timid giggle as he stood on his toes to finally kiss Ivan. The both of them faltered from all seriousness to laugh at one another. "You like me, too? Why?"

Ivan gawked with a hard fix in his eyes. "You ask me why? I...you...that question would take too long to answer. Do you like me?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Then that's why."

Matthew relaxed with a murmur that was oddly mixed with disbelief and relief, "That's it?"

"Yes!"

"Oh." Matthew gave the hand trailing to his jaw a quick peck and shyly smiled, suddenly feeling like a blooming romanticist from Ivan's giggle of glee. "You sure?"

"Of course. I would not mind taking you as my own." The demon touched their noses together to gaze into his eyes. "Be mine now, yes?"

"We'll try," Matthew promised. He peeled his hand from his face to poke Ivan in the chest. "But this is a joint thing, mister. That means you're going to have to share."

Ivan winced, "Ah, the worst thing that has to happen to me. Sharing."

"Oh, hush. I'm not done kissing you yet."

"That is always good."

Both of them let out light-hearted sighs when the Matthew's phone vibrated angrily between his back pocket and the counter. "I should get this. It could be Alfred."

Ivan's eager grip around Matthew slipped away at the sight of the cellular device. "If it is Alfredo, you tell him that we will try this...neutralization thing."

"Huh? Ivan, are you sure?"

Ivan tapped a finger to Matthew's nose with a sniggle, "Yes, since I am such a wild animal that needs to be caged."

"If you _really_ want to do this...Thank you." Matthew took the call and held the device to his ear. "Hey, what's up?"

"Mattie!"

Matthew flinched from the loud voice. "Yes, hi, it's me."

His brother announced from the other line, "I talked to Artie about the stuff!"

"Okay, tell me the stuff."

"So, I told him that you wanted Ivan to stay, and wanted to be his buddy, pal, whatever, and he got _pretty_ ticked...again."

"Again," Matthew echoed, and slouched over the island counter. He slightly jumped as a hand snuck under his hoodie and trailed up his back.

"Yeah, yeah, but he seemed to chill out once I mentioned that light thingy. He actually seemed cool with it." Alfred grumbled, "Well, he didn't hit me on the head, so I think he's cool with it. Anyway! He told me that the angels could just send him back to Hell without a second thought, but I think your magic words got to Artie, and he decided to give him a choice."

"Oh? What would that be? Under his terms?"

"Of course! Mattie," Alfred's voice dropped a frighteningly serious tone, "Even if the guy has thoughts, feelings, and blah, blah, blah like us, there's still centuries, no, millennia of distrust and fighting between angels and demons. It's for the safety of all of us!"

"That's implying that Ivan is going to destroy everyone's lives, and rain fireballs onto Earth!"

Ivan made a noise of thought. The phone buzzed, "Well, even if he wasn't planning on it, which would kinda be cool to see him do that- don't tell Artie I said that- but he's not in the room right now, so I can say it-"

"Al," Matthew put his brother back on track. Strong arms pulled him against a warm chest, and Ivan leaned his ear against the cell phone to listen to the conversation. He was promptly elbowed in the ribs, but did not let go.

"Huh? Oh, right! Um...if he wasn't even planning to... _raise Hell..._ get it, raise Hell?" Alfred let out short laughter, "There's still that distrust forged between the two. Not only is it because the whole angel-versus-demon thing, but part of it's personal, apparently. Ivan ran around, like, a decade ago, and scared a bunch of people, and you're not supposed to do that, because what happens if people find out about actual demons and angels? All the crazies will come out and try to start the Armageddon!"

Matthew took the phone away from his ear, and twisted to give Ivan a questioning look. "Did you cause mayhem and scare people around the time we first met?"

"Mayhem he calls it," Ivan snorted. "To think I wanted to go out of my reaches to ruin people's lives."

Another elbow to the ribs. "Then what do you suppose you were doing?"

An easy question, "Making friends! That Arthur and I must have not recognized each other until our true selves emerged...again."

Matthew snickered and raised the phone to his ear again. "So, what is going to happen?"

"Artie's going out to find other angels nearby. No matter what Ivan chooses to do, there's going to be a meet-up spot, and he expects him to be there, or else they're going to look for him. I don't think either of you want that. This doesn't have to end with anyone getting hurt."

Neither were jumping with joy from the new information. Breath blew in Matthew's ear; "What...what is the proposition?"

Matthew relayed the question into the phone, and Alfred said, "They _can_ neutralize his...um, demon-ness like we talked about. The only way the angels are going to allow Ivan to walk around on the surface is if they smother his demon stuff. Whenever he goes to Hell or whatever, not on the surface, he can be whatever he damn well chooses. I'll text you all the details so you don't lose them."

"Like you would?" Matthew quietly laughed. "Thanks, Al, really."

"Hey! You're my bro, okay?"

"Of course..."

"So your guy is all right with this? I don't think it's going to be a tickle fest for him."

"We're both well aware."

"If you say so. Oh, hey! You're still going to talk to him about The Feelings, right-"

"Yep, sure. Bye, Al." Matthew abruptly hung up his phone and smiled down at the dimming screen. _Ha-ha, you're too late!_

Ivan nudged the side of his face. "What is going to happen? Did the angel agree to this?"

"Yeah." Matthew twisted around to face his company with his own grin. "Everything is going to be all right." His phone buzzed again, and he glanced down to a new message notification. _Go the woods w/ the creepy benches near that pond (u no the 1) Tuesday at 11. You got time to sleep in ;)_ "Al just sent me the meet-up point for the plan to take place. It's the day after tomorrow."

"Oh, that soon?"

"You're not going to turn into a full-fledged human, if that's what you're worried about. It's just that everything will be on the inside, but more secure than a cloak, so maybe it's not as uncomfortable." Matthew hoped all of this was true. "You'll always be able to come back as...you."

"I am not concerned about the aftermath as much as I am worrying that there _is_ going to be an aftermath."

"What are you talking about?"

"Things were going well during that fight between Arthur and I, until he brought out that light. I felt as if I were suffocating and baking to death at the same time, and that was only one angel. He is going to need more manpower for this, and I am going to deliver myself to several other angels that will be more than ready to shoot me full of their light."

"Um, Ivan, that _is_ the plan. You...you think this is some sort of trap?"

The demon's shoulders rose. "What better and quicker way to deal with me than this? Alfred speaks loudly, and he said that whether I refuse or not, I am expected to be there."

Matthew clenched his jaw. "I told you. I told you to go back to Hell and stay-"

Interrupting the snippy 'I told you so,' Ivan bumped their foreheads together. "Not without you." He pulled away to gaze at Matthew's sour expression. "We do not have to deal with any angels if we go now. You do not have to continue with this 'school' place, or ice or being left alone ever again..."

Matthew's eyes widened. _Tempting. So tempting._ "I-I...I can't just leave everything behind like it's nothing. What about my father?"

"We can take him with us. He seems...'cool.'"

"Are you kidding? I think he would have an aneurism from the lakes of lava."

"I do not know what that is."

"What about my brother? I can't abandon him!"

"Who says you are abandoning him? You two have to go on your own paths eventually. He already is starting with that angel. Don't let your brother's ambitions tread and crush your own."

Matthew pointedly turned his head away.

"If you do not want to do it, then say so."

"Not yet. I'm not ready. I'm sorry."

Ivan shook his head. "Then we will go with the plan."

"But I don't want you to get hurt! Ugh," Matthew smack his forehead with his hand. "I'm so confused!"

The demon reached for his wrist. "Matthew, there is no need to hit yourself. I am _very_ familiar with pain, so there is no need to worry about me as much as you are doing."

"Easier said than done! I thought you suspected that this is going to be a trap anyway!"

"It may be a trap, but I will be walking in it for you. Not because of you, so do not blame yourself or I might get angry!"

"Well, I'm going to walk into it with you!"

"Of course. I would not expect less."


	24. It's Raining Men (and Women)

"Of course it is cold today. Out of all days, _this_ one has to be the coldest I have ever dealt with." A huff of warm air blew out of Ivan's mouth. "Did you see that, Matthew? It is so cold that you can see that it is cold. Look! Look at these clouds coming from my face!"

Matthew gazed thoughtfully at the two wings arching out of slits in the demon's coat. "Maybe I should invent wing warmers. Do you think they would sell?"

"I would certainly be the first to buy a pair!"

The dead forest echoed with their footsteps crunching on the frosty ground. Ivan eyed the trees suspiciously, and occasionally scented the breeze, only to clamp a hand over his exposed nose. Matthew was more worried about keeping his fingers warm in Ivan's palm. Any white of heavenly wings and cloth would mesh into the landscape, but then a head of golden hair popped out from behind a tree trunk several paces ahead.

Alfred brandished his arm and called, "Hey dudes!" He immediately shoved that arm underneath his other one. "Fuck, it's cold!" When his brother drew closer, both mustered a smile at the sight of their twin's well being. "Nice to see you're all right."

Ivan asked tersely, "Why would he not be?"

Alfred scrunched his face and tucked his nose into the collar of his winter coat. "Could you like, back up five feet?"

Matthew pointed out, "It'd be warmer if we all huddled together."

His brother blinked a few times at the ground, considering the truth, and then scooted to cozy up with Matthew's side. "Are you ready for this?"

"I am, and so is Ivan, which is sort of important, if you forgot." Matthew leaned his head to whisper to Alfred, "He thinks this could be a trap."

"Huh?!" Alfred exclaimed loudly. "Why? Aren't the angels doing the both of you a favor? I don't even think this has ever been done before. How could it be a trap?"

Ivan icily replied, "Very easily."

As Alfred made another face, Matthew asked, "Do you know details? Where's Arthur?"

"Uh...not much. Artie's gone out to look for other angels to help, and they're going to regroup right around here," his brother lamely gestured with a jerk of his chin, and tucked it back in his jacket's collar. "Ugh! Winter can suck balls!"

Ivan tensed, and his low hiss was the only quick warning to a body landing onto the frosty ground behind Alfred. Everyone spun around at the newcomer, and Arthur held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Nobody suddenly moves, got it?" He glanced to the demon, and straightened with a narrow look. "I am a tad surprised you came. It would have been wise to simply flee back to Hell."

"It may seem foolish to you," the demon slug an arm over Matthew's shoulders to bring him closer, and Alfred gave him a disgruntled look from down the cuddle train, "but angels always had cold hearts."

A look of surprise shone on Arthur's face before shifting to one of discontent. "A demon in love sounds so much sillier."

Matthew gave the angel a blank look while his brother's face was dull due to heavy thinking. "Aren't you cold?" His mouth lifted in a sly smile. "On the outside, I mean."

Arthur glanced down to his simple toga and his toes wiggled against his sandals. "The skies are open to the weather. What angel would I be if I could not handle mere frost?"

Alfred asked, "So, you're not going to join the cuddle train?"

Ivan violently shook his head to the idea. "It would be interesting to see you walk through a lake of lava."

Matthew pointed out, "You can't do that either."

Arthur drew up to Ivan, rigid and alert. "I would not speak like that to the others when they arrive. We do not have to do this. Consider yourself lucky to be spared, for us to allow you to walk amongst humans."

"I do not gaze upon luck with fondness."

"Oh?" Arthur raised a grand eyebrow. "I suppose you rather us send you back to where you crawled from in pieces."

Ivan narrowed his eyes, pulling Matthew closer to his side. The brothers exchanged worried glances, and Alfred was unusually quiet. Arthur acted unfazed when a slight breeze blew into his face and the others bunched into their coats and scarves. "When we are finished, if you are caught undisguised for any reason you are out of Hell, know that we will be investigating why, even for the slightest moment."

"Why can I not wear my cloak?"

"Cloaks are weak, temporary disguises," the angel easily shot back. "They can come off with heightened emotions. You can still smell and sense like a demon. You are still animalistic under a cloak. Our light will cancel any risks they pose."

Matthew had to ask, "So whatever is going to happen...you guys won't kill him, right?"

"Are you asking me personally? Not intentionally, but it has been a while since I heard of a demon sighting from the others. They may be a tad...anxious to see one again when they arrive."

"Arthur, please. I managed to persuade Ivan not to hunt and kill you after what happened during the weekend because if you died, it would upset my brother, and in turn, I would be upset."

Alfred snapped his head to his brother. He uneasily chuckled and asked between clenched teeth, "Mattie, what'cha doing?"

Arthur's cheeks bloomed with color. "That is kind of you, but you are implying that he is capable of slaying me. That fight should have proved otherwise."

"Oh that?" Ivan snickered, "That was just a warm-up. If you really want me to-"

Matthew roughly shoved against his side to interrupt him. "What I'm trying to say is that if Alfred feels the same way, then can you try to tell your friends not to fry my boyfriend into a crisp?" He turned to his brother. "Al, if I were distraught over something like Ivan getting hurt, would you be upset, too?"

"Um, yeah! You're scary when you're angry." Alfred put a hand to the side of his mouth to tell Arthur, "It's always the quiet ones you got to look out for."

Matthew lightly cleared his throat when the angel gave him a surprised look. "Sure. Arthur, if all of this happened, would you consider Alfred's feelings on the matter, too?"

"O-of course!" Arthur turned his head away to glare in the distance. "Alfred becomes close to unbearable if he is upset."

"Wow," Alfred nodded, "you totally know how to give someone warm feelies."

Matthew asked, "Would that be a yes?"

Arthur kicked at the snow beneath his sandal. "Well, I am not going to encourage the others to slay the beast, if that's the answer you're looking for."

Ivan's sigh was laced with a little giggle. "If you little angels are going to kill me, you lost the element of surprise."

"Perhaps if you keep your mouth shut, then the subject will not be brought up."

Alfred opened his mouth, and his teeth loudly chattered. "A-are your guys even going to be here soon? I'm freezing!"

Without a glance to the poor boy, Arthur claimed, "Then you should have stayed inside the motel room."

Alfred gripped his brother's coat sleeve more tightly and grumbled, "Maybe you sh-should have stayed inside the m-motel room."

Ivan said, "I th-think there is ice growing inside my nose."

A distant swoop sounded above their heads, and Matthew looked up to the gray sky while the two chilled souls latched onto his arms chattered and quaked. "Uh, guys!"

Everyone but Arthur exclaimed in shock and backed away from another figure in white thumped into the fray. The newcomer hopped up, grinning at the gathered mass. "We have ourselves an interesting mix today."

Matthew gaped. "That's...that's my boss!"

"Antonio," Arthur acknowledged with a tight nod.

The other angel's happy expression soured for a quick beat before smoothing as he glanced to Matthew. "Oh, hey. I didn't expect you to be here."

"Um...me either."

Antonio threw a wink, "Working hard?"

"Whenever I'm there, yeah."

The angel shrugged and approached Ivan. "So this is the demon? I forgot how big they come."

Arthur said, "I thought Elizabeta was traveling with you."

"She's not too far behind," Antonio backed away with guarded green eyes when Ivan bared his teeth. He glanced at Matthew, then Alfred, and back again. "So, Matthew, you're with the demon?"

"This isn't related to my paycheck, is it?"

Antonio seemed to be torn whether or not he should be amused or irritated.

Alfred let out peels of cackles. "How many are there going to be of you?"

"Six or seven, depends who shows up." Antonio glanced between him and Arthur. "Say, Arthur, if Matthew has this plot with the demon, what's up with this other one? Is he yours?"

"Who?" Alfred's voice squeaked, "Me?" He tried to cover it up with a loud laugh.

Matthew muttered, "Awkward..."

Arthur bristled, "This is Matthew's twin, if you cannot see for yourself. He has a tendency to be around to watch the drama."

"Wow, Artie, you d-didn't even include the 'friend' word in that one! Yep, I'm just here for the drama. Nice to meet you."

Antonio only looked vaguely bemused. "Oh? That could not possibly be sarcasm, could it, friend?"

"Nah, not for you, dude. It's g-going to be awesome seeing all these angels!"

"Are you okay there? You are shaking a lot."

"It's cold."

More loud flapping erupted overhead, and the newest arrival let out high laughter in the descent. A wave of golden brown hair flew in all directions as the angel landed more gracefully than the other two. She straightened up, pushing her long locks from her face, and swept the gathered group with a mischievous light in her green eyes.

"Hello, gentlemen." The others shared a more apprehensive look, mumbling their own greetings. "I heard there's a demon on the loose!" It was obvious who it was; horns curling from each side of the head, towering figure. Ivan pulled his scarf over his nose. The woman slapped a hand over her mouth to poorly stifle a giggle.

"Out of the way!" A voice from above warned, and two more dropped from the sky. The smaller blond landed much more quietly, and her look alike protectively put an arm before her as soon as he situated himself beneath the trees. "This is an interesting bunch, Kirkland."

Arthur seemed tense, despite being among his own kind. "It is what needs to be done. This effects us all, even you and your sister, Basch."

"Erika!" The brunette woman cheered, and threw her arms around the smaller girl. "It is marvelous to see you once more!"

Basch opened his mouth to dissent to the affection, but kept silent from the threatening smile sent in his direction. Erika blushed from the overbearing embrace, but looked pleased, none the less. "Hello, Miss Elizabeta. I was worried there were going to be no one else I know," she admitted in a youthful voice, and then glimpsed to the human twins in curiosity.

Antonio asked, "Are we waiting for any more?"

"There are fellows from the North that should arrive soon," Arthur said. "Give them time. It is a while away."

A low growl slipped from Ivan's throat, even if he did not meant it to, and he took a step back. All the gathered angels simultaneously tensed, and whipped around to face him. Matthew clamped onto his hand with his other one, just as wary of the glowing beings, yet maintained a stern stare, as if to challenge them.

"They dare laugh and smile before they plan to slaughter me," Ivan hissed, tightening his grip on Matthew's hand. Those many pairs of very green eyes, falling quiet with baited breaths at the slightest movement, shouted silent threats and terrifying promises.

"Don't freak out," Matthew lowly shot back. "Don't...freak out."

Basch jerked his chin at the boy, "Is he one of them, too?"

Arthur glimpsed at Matthew with a suspicious look before answering, "No, but you have him to thank for our gathering this day."

"So what _are_ we doing?" Elizabeta swished a hand. "You don't need this many angels to destroy a demon. What else is going on?"

"Are we putting him on trial?" Erika guessed. Her brother nodded in approval.

Alfred, from his position behind a nearby tree, raised his phone to take a stealthy photo of the group. He smiled at the result, and Matthew shot him a disproving look, but did not say anything.

"No, no, none of that nonsense," Arthur put a hand to his forehead. "This bloke here tangled himself with a demon, and, well, to keep it short, we were planning to neutralize his...demonic rubbish so there are no more unnecessary altercations."

"What? From the boy?" Basch turned his glare to Matthew, who matched the outlook of a deer in headlights. "What is this, demonic possession? You let this happen?" The steady glow around him began to intensify.

Ivan took a sharp breath to retort, but Arthur managed it before he did. "I carried out the precautions. I cleansed Matthew, and engaged in battle with the demon. He was taken down without extravagant abilities, proving that he has not been feeding off of the boy's sins as I firstly believed. I came to the conclusion that both of them have...somehow managed covered yet friendly relations, and therefore mean no harm to the citizens."

Alfred caught Matthew's eye and shook his head. Matthew raised his eyebrows for a second to say, 'Get a load of this dude.'

"It's a demon!" Basch reprimanded. "Their presence is a harm to humans and even us!"

"That is why we should have him neutralized, so he is not a threat," Arthur pointed out with gritted teeth. He was doing this for Matthew's sake, and he was grateful for that. He wanted to be on friendly terms with a family friend instead of loathing the guy.

Antonio spoke up, "I don't know, friend. We should just send him back to Hell."

"No!" Matthew clamored, but none of the glowing beings reacted like they heard him.

Arthur said, "Ivan will not take too kindly to that."

"Why should we care?" Basch asked. "He is a demon."

"If we neutralize him, it will be as if he was never one. Then, we will not have to worry about anyone becoming malcontented. We are angels," Arthur crowed. "We are supposed to grow goodwill. How are we to do that when we rip a pair apart?"

Antonio said, "It seems like you are siding with the creature. Our ancestors would not want this. They would smite him right away without a second thought."

Arthur dropped his gaze to the ground. "I am not turning against Heaven, if that is what you are implying." His argument was weak, "B-besides, this is our time. We're no longer a bunch of mindless warriors..."

Alfred easily got all eyes on him by announcing in a clear voice, "Yeah, besides, I thought you guys help people, and if a demon is willing to get help, then what are you going to do? Sit there and complain the whole time?"

Some of the curious gazes turned hostile, and Basch spat to Arthur, "I suggest if you are going to bring _guests,_ make sure they are more mannered next time."

Arthur clenched his fists as his face inflamed pink, and avoided any glances toward him.

"Wait a moment," Elizabeta raised her hands. "The human is right. You boys always want to take the quickest way out, even if it is the harshest one." She continued as if three pairs of eyes were not jabbing into her skin, "Why are you all throwing a hissy fit over this? We can just neutralize the demon and be on our merry way. There is literally no reason to drag your feet and groan about this."

Arthur seethed, "Yes, since everyone has important things to do, let us stop this squabbling and get on with it."

Ivan grumbled, "Preferably before I freeze to the ground."

Matthew lightly elbowed him. "Just think; if that happens, then the angels won't have to worry about big, bad, evil Ivan pillaging and burning the town."

The demon sighed, sounding as if he did not wish to laugh, but did anyway. They watched the heavenly beings squabble, shaking their arms, twitching their wings, and stamping their sandals on the frosty grass. He pursed his lips in thought. "They do not seem any different than you and your brother fighting."

At the sound of his mention, Alfred laughed, but it was from an ancient insult passed around the circle. He glanced to the pair, and pointed to the angels. "These dudes sound like the way our grandpa used to speak."

"I do not want to use the goodwill I harvested on a demon," Antonio shrugged. "It seems counterproductive."

"You can easily obtain more," Arthur sharply pointed out. "You have a Promised One."

The dark haired angel lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? It is harder than you think."

"Oh?! Like I would not know?"

Antonio's eyes flickered to Alfred. "I'm not entirely sure, actually."

Matthew worryingly rubbed the back of the demon's hand. "I'm sorry, Ivan. I did not expect the possible fighting to break out between the angels." When Ivan did not reply, he looked up, and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Cold."

"Your face?"

"Everywhere."

He tugged on Ivan's coat sleeve. "Come here, then."

"See, Erika? This is why you stay out of everyone's affairs, and make sure they do not get into yours." Basch grumbled, "If this keeps up, our evening tea time is going to be postponed."

Erika pointed pass the other angels. "Um, brother, what are they doing?"

The demon's face was buried in Matthew's chest as he wrapped his scarf around his entire head, giggling at how Ivan looked like "A fuzzy pile of snow."

Basch slapped a hand over his sister's eyes when the hellish creature growled in delight, his tail lashing back and forth at the warm touches and kisses. "I do not think that boy is the one possessed."

Arthur now had his hands fiercely pinching Antonio's cheeks, shouting that no, chickens cannot fly without feathers, they would just flap around awkwardly like an angel out of water. Elizabeta looked on with blushed cheeks and mischievous giggles. Alfred checked out the latest memes on his cell phone, suddenly unoccupied with the arguing.

"Hey!" A distant voice shout out, but the echoes died against the bare trees. "G-guys!"

A set of boot clad feet slammed onto the ground, ultimately killing the squabbling with a deep roar of, "Enough!"

Ivan shoved Matthew behind himself, wings spread out on both sides. Alfred jumped, and his hands grabbed at his phone that decided to try to escape. Basch grabbed Erika's arm and guided her to his side. Elizabeta took her other hand. Antonio and Arthur shoved away from one another, and spun to face the newcomer.

A second figure thudded beside the giant, gasping and panting with his hands on his knees. The taller blond gazed upon the crowd with sharp aquamarine eyes, looking deathly irritable. Both newcomers had longer, thicker robes instead of the usual togas, as if they were for the aesthetic of a colder climate.

"W-we did not...hah...miss much, huh, Berwald?"

"Hm," the giant grunted. "Somethin' smells burnt."

"There you two are!" Arthur put his hands on his hips. "When I say there is a demon in our midst, I would think it would classify as an emergency."

The shorter angel gave his head a shake, too focused on getting the air back into his lungs. Berwald planted a large hand on one of his shoulders, earning a squeak of fright, and glared heavily at Arthur.

"Great, there's more than enough," Antonio clapped. "I did not think you would have extra, Tino."

"Oh, you know what the humans say!" The slight blond nervously laughed, "The more, the merrier!"

"I believe seven will too much for a neutralization," Arthur stated. He immediately looked at a tree trunk when Berwald narrowed his eyes at him.

Matthew guessed from behind Ivan's back, "They're going to fight about that now?"

Alfred tried stamping his feet into the ground for some movement, but it must have not done much, since he vocalized, "It's freaking freezing! Are we doing this or not?"

Basch clipped the problem before it could bloom. "Erika will stand out of the circle unless she is needed."

"Brother! I can handle it!"

"I do not doubt you," the brother lightly retorted, "but one of us should keep our store of luminescence if possible."

Erika understood, and did not want to argue with her brother, so she nodded in agreement. "Okay, but I agree with the human. We should start, do you think?"

"That's the demon over there?" Tino stared, lavender eyes wide, at Ivan. The hellish creature bared his teeth, not truly threateningly, but the angel's round features shifted into a mixture of fright and defensiveness.

"Yes." Arthur beckoned, "Ivan, you may come over here now." The demon simply stared. "Well? It is either this, or go back to torturing the souls of the damned."

"Why does everybody think we do that?" Ivan snorted. "The screams would give me a headache after a while-"

Basch prodded, "Are we going to do this or not?"

Ivan clamped his mouth shut with a sour expression. He whisked around for a swift moment, clasping his clawed hands onto Matthew's cheeks and leaned down for a quick kiss. Matthew reached up and brushed his fingertips along one of his horns, possibly for a last time.

"Matthew."

"You can do it," Matthew patted Ivan's chest, urging him forward. Ivan managed a smitten smile for him, turned away, and their hands slipped from one another. Matthew missed the warmth already.

Alfred replaced his presence with a heavy arm slung over his shoulders and flashed a thumbs up. "You guys talked about The Feelings?"

Matthew light-heartedly sighed, but it was triumphed with a melancholy smile. "Yeah, Al. He's got The Feelings, too."

"Yeah!" Alfred held out his free arm to make a fist. "Fist bump me!" His brother did, and he bounced on his toes as Arthur pointed to where Ivan should stand. "We're going to see something real neato, Mattie!"

Matthew raised his eyebrows, and pushed up his glasses that slipped down his nose. "If you mean something spectacular, blinding, and possibly never witnessed before, then yes, we are going to see something neato."

* * *

 _Blehps:_

"Wow, aren't you cold?" Matthew gawked at the heavenly being's simple toga falling to his mid-thighs and sandals. _( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_ _Legs._

"Err...Matthew?" Arthur swished a hand in front of Matthew's face, but that did not break his gaze.

 _Leg man._


	25. Chapter 24

As the demon moved toward them, the angels backed away as if he were poison spreading along the forest floor. Basch urged his sister away to a nearby tree. Tino pointed out a root sticking up from the ground before Berwald's foot was caught onto it. Ivan stopped, looking around at the circle formed of the heavenly creatures. If he was frightened, his vaguely curious expression did not speak of it.

Arthur took the position in front of the demon, facing Matthew and Alfred, but focused on matters at hand. Elizabeta and Antonio stood between him and Basch. "All right. I will start," he spoke in a low yet clear voice. "Once I unleash my light, I expect the rest of you to follow suit. We are neutralizing the demon, not killing him."

"Never thought I'd hear that," Berwald mumbled. When he received confused looks, taken by him as silence, he said, "Not t' kill a demon."

Alfred nudged his brother. "Do you think he can't see?"

"No, he still looks at someone straight on when they're talking." Matthew murmured, too familiar with the horrid squinting of blurred sight, "I think he just needs glasses."

"Hey wait!" Alfred shot forward. The angels spun around in alarm from the shout. He peeled his lens from his face and drew up to Berwald. The towering blond furrowed his eyebrows, taking a step back from the teen's proximity. "Here, dude! Put these over your eyes!"

"Alfred, that is foolish," Arthur snapped. "How are you going to see properly?"

Berwald's eyes widened, and he held his hands up in awe. "Ev'rythin' is..."

"Whoa, we have the same eye sight level indicator thingy? That's great! What are the chances?!" Alfred reached into his jacket, pulling out another set of glasses. He winked at Arthur. "A hero always comes to battle prepared!"

"I can see m' hands," Berwald murmured as he turned his palms over experimentally.

Arthur's ears reddened. "There's no battle here, solider."

Someone cleared their throat, causing the giant to turn his head toward the sound. It was Tino that called for his attention, his own expression of awe matching Berwald's. "Now you won't be crashing into telephone wires anymore!"

Berwald glanced away with a shy smile on his bespectacled face.

"Go on, you," Arthur swished a hand at Alfred, managing to speak more softly. "Back to your brother."

Alfred grinned and nodded, swinging his arms back and forth in a cheerful jog. He gave Matthew another thumbs up, who rolled his eyes playfully, but smiled. Basch snapped, asking for everyone to get on with it. The angels affixed themselves to their task, holding their arms from their sides, palms toward the demon in the center.

Doing as he said, Arthur took a moment to swell his chest with breath, closing his eyes as his eternal glow radiated from his skin. Ivan looked over his shoulder, raising his hand to awkwardly wave at Matthew, who smiled encouragingly for him. It was the last sight they both held before the demon's eyes squeezed shut against the intensifying light.

The other angels brought forth their luminescence, eyes shimmering through the light. The brothers threw their hands over their eyes, the brightness too much even for them. By then, the winter birds were chased from the branches overhead from the agonizing wail tearing at the demon's throat. The light cut right through him, grabbing his being and shredding it mercilessly.

Ivan was unable to move, paralyzed from the angels' doing, locked in a backwards bent position, and the feeling of his warmth was driven away from his spread fingertips and feet. The light filled his lungs, choking him and his screams, and forced him to quiet and suffer silently as the steady chanting crucified his demonic aspects. Matthew cupped a hand over his mouth from the sounds, and even Alfred began to tear up as he clutched his brother closer.

Berwald made a noise of pain, snapping forward, and his luminescence flickered with his downfall into the grass. The glasses resting on his nose tumbled onto the ground, causing the others to became startled at his collapse. Tino even slipped to an exclamation of shock, but they had to persevere. Erika immediately leaped to the exhausted angel's side, and her own mighty light replaced his.

With a last shout, the brightness swarmed around Ivan, and the heavenly beings simultaneously stumbled back, reforming into tangible forms again. Arthur collapsed to the grass, his glow nearly diminished, as he fought the demon a few days prior. Basch moved crookedly to his sister, and Antonio and Elizabeta exchanged a weary look, grabbing their heads from the lost of their power. Tino fell beside Berwald, clutching onto his robes as his mind whirled from the exertion.

The last of the light swirled into a fixed shape around the Ivan's heart, and the natural sunlight stepped in to take the heavenly glow's place. Free from his prison of light, Ivan could move. His hand clamped onto his chest, and he stumbled a couple of steps backwards before crumpling into the snow with a great heave.

Alfred and Matthew pulled away from huddling with one another, blinking like erratic Christmas bulbs. The angels were in a more stunned and delirious state than them, and the boys glanced at each other in worry before turning to the mess. Ivan lay in the midst of the heavenly beings, unmoving, and without his extra appendages. To the side, Berwald was being helped to his feet by Basch and Tino, and shook his head from their concern. Erika swooped down to snatch something from the ground. She had to stand on her toes, stretching her arms up to slip the glasses back on his face. A little way further, a golden haired angel bent over his knees, head reeling from the drain.

"Arthur!"

Matthew hesitated for a moment, taken back at how loudly his brother cried out as he shot forward to sprint after him. He followed at a more stiff pace, terror seeping into his chest at the sight of his partner surrounded by people, but none investigated his still form. He fell to his knees besides Ivan, and grabbed at his coat, grunting as he turned the beast over. The demon had been so wrapped up in suspicion, and of course he had to agree to a point, that they had not took a moment or two to consider the chances of surviving that horrible process.

"I'm fine," Berwald assured in a gruff tone. "I just didn't have 'nough like the rest o' you."

Erika said, "No, no! Don't worry about it!"

Tino grasped the other blond's hand. "You did a wonderful job."

"Maybe now you should work a bit to obtain more goodwill with your renewed sight," Basch curtly suggested. He adverted his scowl anywhere else as Berwald pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Artie!"

"Goodness, stop yelling!"

"I'm not yelling," Alfred grumbled. He hoisted the angel to his feet, propping him against his own side so he would not collapse again.

Matthew cried out in delight when Ivan's eyes began flickering around the landscape, and when they landed on him, his cheeks rose in a weak smile. "Matthew..."

"You're alive!"

"Am I? Are you sure this is not Death trying to seduce me?"

Matthew pressed his palm to his cheek, but when he glanced down to where Ivan's other hand clutched onto the fabric of his own coat. "Hey, are you all right? Can you breathe?"

"Yes, but...ah, there feels like there is something there..."

Matthew took to the motion, and pulled away Ivan's scarf to open the top buttons of his coat. Ivan shuddered as the cool air lay on the exposure as his shirt was opened, too, but mustered a tiny giggle at the attention. He patted the pale skin, searching for anything odd, and over his heart, a solid object hit Matthew's fingertips. "Huh? What is this?" He asked, prodding at a dark patch against Ivan's chest, slightly glowing and warm to the touch.

"Wow, that must be our hard work!" Antonio smiled. The angels neared to investigate the crystalized lump, causing Ivan to tense up, and clamp a large hand on Matthew's shoulder to pull himself to a sitting position.

"It worked, right?" Erika asked. She went to take a step forward, but Basch held a cautious arm out, frowning at the disguised creature.

"He doesn't look like a demon anymore," Antonio noted, being brave enough to kneel before Ivan, who did not make a move to frighten the angel away, but instead welcomed him with a deep inhale. The heavenly being leaned back, raising his eyebrows in a confused look.

"You do not smell like an angel anymore," Ivan noted. "That is good. Your stench was causing me to contemplate driving a blade through my skull."

"At least you didn't," Matthew added, enticing him closer to him with a squeeze.

"Likewise," Antonio easily replied, smiles with his insults.

"We did a good job, yah? I think we all did," Tino put in, his head bobbing up and down, trying to distract himself from the hand pressing against his lower back. Erika looked up at her brother, smiling brightly, and earned something that could pass as a smile from Basch.

Ivan nuzzled Matthew's neck, murmuring, "Warm. You are not as cold to the touch anymore."

Antonio's cheerful demeanor faltered to a disturbed outlook, and he rose to his feet, backing away as Matthew took a firm hold onto Ivan's cheeks and snatched his lips with his own. _He could have died, damn it. I'll kiss him all I want._

"Oh. Oh, come on, dudes," Alfred said, throwing the arm out that was not around Arthur's waist. Elizabeta clapped politely.

"I would say that was a job well done," Arthur announced, looking anywhere but at the affectionate sight. "What did I tell you? Yet some of you were all dragging your feet before."

"That is over with now," Basch growled. "Now if you excuse my sister and I, we will be leaving now that our job is done." He shook his head at the pair still laying on the snow-riddled ground. "Ugh, kids never have any effort of control, do they?"

Erika made sure to wave at everybody. "Come by our way sometime, any of you!"

Her brother's mouth pulled down, but he did not say anything else as he took her hand. With a great sweep of their wings, the siblings launched into the chilly skies, eager to travel back to their home. The rest stared up at their departure with wistful eyes.

"She's right," Elizabeta put in. "Why don't we come together more often?"

"Yes!" Tino cheered, bouncing on his toes. "There just aren't enough apocalyptic scenarios or mass deaths for a large number of us to be in one place!"

"Err, yes, I would happen to agree," Arthur said. Alfred performed a double take, eyes going wide. "With the regrouping, not the number of worldly misfortunes, I mean."

"Of course," Antonio coughed, smiling pass the fist over his mouth. "I'm pretty tuckered out. That was quite the number, and I don't know about you, but I'm getting ready to get back to Lovino." He clasped his hands together. "He's supposed to be making something called lasagna casserole tonight! Just thinking about it fills me with warm, happy feelings-!"

"Away with you, then," Arthur dismissed him with a sharp wave of a hand. "Before your...friend blows a gasket, and you do not get any casserole."

Antonio gasped, " _Si! Si!_ I go now!" He bent to the ground before shooting into the sky. The angel called out, "Have fun with your...uh, jewel thing!" Then, "I'm coming, Lovino!"

"We ought to leave now, too, huh Berwald?" Tino laughed nervously. "After all, it is a long flight toward the North Pole."

"North Pole?" Alfred gasped. "Are you going to look at the penguins?!"

Arthur slapped a hand to his forehead as Matthew struggled to rise to his feet with his added weight, "Penguins do not live at the North Pole, Alfred."

"What?! Where else would they live?!"

"The South Pole?" Tino shook his head, earning a low rumble of amusement from his company. "No penguins. Maybe we'll send a postcard in the meantime!"

Arthur asked Berwald, "Are you fit to travel?"

"You don' need goodwill t' fly." The other angel grunted, throwing out his thicker wings to the side, and took to the air as if to prove it.

Tino cried out to not be left behind, and scrambled after him. "Thanks for the glasses!"

Alfred brandished his free arm, grinning at their shrinking figures. "Come back if you need more!"

"Elizabeta?" Arthur said questionably.

"Trying to rid of me so soon?" The woman crossed her arms, and turned away from the blond as if she could not bear the sight of him anymore. A small smile cracked her seemingly irate mask. "I need my beauty sleep, anyway." She tossed a wink and giggled at the other angel when he rolled his eyes. "Perhaps I too, will stop by in a few weeks time to see what you two are up to. Until then!"

Alfred sighed contently at the dismissing figures. "See, Artie? I want to help people, too."

The angel glanced away, trying his best not to grin like a fool, and his eyes landed on Matthew, who managed to stand straight. Both of them cried in shock as Ivan slipped away with a light groan. Matthew twisted around, grabbing at thin air. "Ivan!" Yet his partner was already collapsed back onto the frosty grass, eyes closed.

"Whoa!" Alfred exclaimed, "Is he dead?"

"Hey! Hey!" Matthew patted Ivan's cheeks, going without response. "Ivan!"

"It took a lot out of him," Arthur pointed out. "It took a lot out of all of us. That is no easy feat, but alas, it worked," he erupted into a wide yawn, slapping a hand over his mouth. Alfred smiled and poked his cheek.

"How am I going to get him home?!" Matthew moved to crouch above the man's head, and yanked on his coat. He managed to drag Ivan for a few feet before falling backwards on his rear, huffing in exertion. "It's too cold to stay out here!"

The angel sighed heavily. "I suppose I can pull one more trip out of me." He towed Alfred toward his brother, and knelt to put a hand on Ivan's chest. "Come on, you two. Where do you want him?"

Matthew's panicked expression eased to a grateful smile. "To my bedroom."

Arthur curtly nodded, and with a snap of light, the group found themselves feeling ripped from the woods to Matthew's bedroom. The brothers sighed, and exchanged a bewildered look.

Alfred said, "I don't think I will get used to that." A drawn out groan sounded from his side. He jumped, and his arms shot out to catch Arthur, whose legs buckled from underneath himself. "Artie?" He said questionably and patted his face. He looked up in alarm when his friend did not respond. "He's dead!"

Matthew rolled his eyes. "He is not! Look, he's still breathing. Both of them are at their limits, that's all." He spat as he lifted Ivan's unconscious body off the floor, flopping and pushing him onto his mattress. "Holy crap!"

"It's much easier the other way around, huh, Mattie?" His brother's grin returned, and he swooped down to pluck Arthur off the ground as well. He adjusted the angel over his shoulders, mindful of the feathery appendages sprouting from his back. "Do you even lift, bro?"

"I can lift!"

"Yeah, you lift pancakes into your mouth."

"I'll slap you in the face with one," Matthew lamely threatened, more worried about tucking a pillow under Ivan's head. "Are you going to stay?"

"Nah, I should get Artie back to his motel room. I'm gonna have to like, say this is a costume or some sort."

"Do you know when you will come back?"

Alfred quieted. His brother glanced over his shoulder worryingly. "I...don't know. But I will be back!"

"Oh, okay...I suppose. Just give a text if you can't stop by for whatever reason." Matthew cringed when he tugged on Ivan's heavy coat, trying not to disturb his sleep, but Ivan did not budge from the fabric pulling from beneath him. He stopped to glance back at his brother watching him. "Hey, Al, thanks for being there. I really appreciate it."

"Aw, man, quit it! You're making me feel mushy on the inside!"

Matthew rolled his eyes, and stood to drape the coat over his TV set. His sibling still lingered, staring after him drift to the bed and carefully settle on the edge, aware of its other inhabitant. He pressed the back of his hand to Ivan's forehead. "Take care, Al, and tell Arthur 'thank you' when he wakes up, okay?"

"Huh? Oh, sure, sure!" Alfred tried to wave, but his hands occupied were with balancing the angel on his shoulders. His cheerful outlook vanished when he exited Matthew's room, the both of them going their separate ways.

* * *

 _Blehps:_

(1) Alfred nudged his brother. "Do you think he can't see?"

"No, he still looks at someone straight on when they're talking. I think he just needs glasses," Matthew murmured, too familiar with the horrid squinting of blurred sight.

"Looks at someone straight?" His brother cackled. "How else are you going to look at somebody? Gaily?"

"I do all the time."

"What."

(2) Someone cleared their throat. The giant turned his head to the sound. Tino shyly waved, his expression of awe matching Berwald's. He did not need to maintain his narrowed gaze in attempts to see, so most of his fierce countenance smoothed to a docile but still masculine face. The shorter angel beamed proudly, something the giant had to struggle to keep his sights from.

Berwald went #handsomesquidward on them. Everyone cried.


	26. He's STILL Stealing My Pancakes!

Matthew had not realized he fell asleep upright against the wall until a groan broke the silence. His eyes fluttered open to a darkened bedroom as the sunset took the remaining light with its fall. He called out, "Ivan?" and the legs beneath his twitched. He scrambled over his bedmate to tap his face.

A silly smile crept on Matthew as Ivan's eyes fluttered and cracked open, looking confused as one should be after unconsciousness. "Good evening, sleepy head."

Ivan furrowed his eyebrows and turned his head to gaze at his bedmate. "Matthew?" His hand lifted to rest on the strange bump over his heart. "This is...this is a very pleasant way to wake up. We are in your bedroom, yes?"

"Yep! Do you remember what happened? Are you all right?" Matthew sat up when his company lifted himself from the mattress, still cupping the rosy gem embedded in his skin. He noticed this, and rested his own hand on Ivan's. "Does that thing hurt?"

Ivan took a sharp sniff, surprised at the lost of his heightened senses. "It is...cold. I am not as warm anymore." Matthew's arms wound around his shoulders, patting his back worryingly, which caused a wistful smile to reach Ivan's features. "Other than being a bit sore, I can say I am all right. This jewel thing is, too, but are you?"

Matthew giggled against him. "Yeah, I'm okay. You hungry?"

"Pancakes?"

"Of course," Matthew slipped off of the bed. He spun around without a response. "Is that fine?"

"Everything is fine," Ivan rose from the mattress, and eagerly took Matthew's hand when it was offered. He noted as they walked down the narrow hall, "Oh? It is quiet. Is Alfredo here?"

"No," Matthew sighed lightly. "He's gone back to Arthur's motel room after everyone left. Though I should really get used to it, huh?" The grip on his hand tightened. "With your sisters, they know where you are going, and who you are with. You can go back and forth between here and Hell, but with Alfred...who knows what he is planning to do?"

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs when Ivan stepped in front of him. "Matthew, your brother wants to follow the angel around so badly, then so be it. Do not blame yourself for his choices. I would not wish Irunya or Natalia to curse themselves for me looking for happiness."

"I'm sorry-"

"There is no reason to apologize."

Matthew's gaze dropped to the floor. A hand lifted his chin.

"We are alone, Matthew. Do you know what that means?"

"Maybe?"

"That means more pancakes for us," Ivan tapped his nose, giggling from Matthew's blank stare, and pulled him toward the kitchen.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew's chocolate chip covered fork clattered onto his plate when his phone angrily buzzed through his pocket. Ivan shot the device an icy glare as it made an appearance, not saying anything in favor of popping a piece of pancake in his mouth. "Hello?" Matthew tensed, gripping the counter edge at the voice on the other end.

" _Matthieu!_ Why do I keep getting phone calls from the school telling me of your absence?!"

"Dad! Is that why you called?"

"Is that...why, of course that is the reason! I can get fined if you keep missing days!" There was a moment of silence besides the sharp breath Matthew took. "Why aren't you going to school? You only have three months left-"

"Something came up." Matthew quickly said, "I'll go tomorrow." He glanced at Ivan for a silent plea of help. Ivan speared a piece of pancake off of the teen's plate, his laughter muffled from the food stuffed in his face.

Francis echoed, "Something...came up?"

"Yep, that's what I said."

"Tell me."

Matthew coughed on the pancake he was nibbling. "Um...Alfred...was sick." Ivan lifted his eyebrows.

"Alfred was sick?"

"Uh-huh."

"Alfred 'ardly ever gets sick."

"I know," Matthew straightened on the stool. "That's why I took off, too. I was worried."

A moment of silence. _Oh no. Oh no. Dad's going to flip like a pancake-_ "Why did you not say so! You had my 'eart stopping there for a moment! Is he better now? No 'igh fevers or blood or-"

"None of that!" Matthew breathed a silent sigh of relief. "He's fine, but he's sleeping right now, so he can't talk. We'll be back to school tomorrow."

"You make me worry, _Matthieu_."

"Is that all?"

"Are you so eager to get rid of your poor old father? Do you not want to know what it is like in England?"

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Did you get the Plague?"

"No, but I 'ave caught something else."

"And what would that be?" His son asked, already running through the possibilities from the low chuckles Francis was making.

"The eyes of a beauty on the other side of the bar. They are golden honey-"

"Oh no, Papa, my phone is almost dead. Looks like it didn't charge last night."

"Ah! What did I tell you about technology? Never mind that, we both 'ave to do some charging tonight-"

"Ugh!" Matthew ripped the phone from his ear and jammed the _end_ button on its screen.

Another chunk of pancake disappeared from his plate. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just my dad being weird as always. Hold on, I have to call Alfred."

Ivan started to dissent, but the phone was already ringing in call. He clamped his mouth shut. If the device had eyes, it would be matching his disdainful stare.

"Bro!" Alfred whined, "Come on, I was _just_ about to go to bed!"

"Hush up, Al. Dad called me. Apparently the school's not happy with us being absent all the time, and neither is he."

"So what?"

"Well, if you don't want Dad to get fined to Hell and back, and possibly take it out of our allowances, then I suggest we go to school tomorrow."

Either a llama was being slaughtered on the other line, or Alfred was _very_ upset. "Seriously?" The word dragged out. "How can we possibly go from watching a bunch of angels going all 'Zoom zoom' and ' _Wah!'_ to the calculus teacher's butt jiggling two desks over?"

Arthur's voice squawked from the other end, "I do not make those noises!"

"Right?" Matthew agreed. "We can look forward to coming home after a long day."

"That doesn't make me feel better," Alfred grumbled. Something thumped on his side, followed by an impressive string of curses and his pecking laughter at the misfortune. "Dude, take it easy, or you might pass out...again."

"I assume you are talking to Arthur," Matthew said.

"Stop laughing, Alfred! I am trying to stretch my wings!"

"Alfred?"

"Sheesh, everyone's saying my name! What is it, Mattie, my boy?"

"Don't call me that. I also told Dad that you were sick, and that's why we stayed home."

"Cool."

"So you're coming to school tomorrow, right?"

"I don't really care about school anymore..."

 _Me either, honestly._ Matthew sighed, "I guess I'm sitting by myself tomorrow at lunch."

Alfred made another odd noise. "Not cool!"

"Neither is not going to school, hooky player."

"Whatever, man!" His brother laughed annoyingly. " _Blech!_ Watch those things! I almost got a mouth full of feathers!"

"Who eats feathers?" Ivan asked, eyeing the remaining pancake on Matthew's plate.

There was a tiny giggle from the other end, and it was not from Alfred. "Refrain from standing so close, then."

 _That was weird._ Matthew said, "Um, I should go."

"Uh, y-yeah...Yeah! You should. Bye, dude!"

"Dude," Matthew halfheartedly relayed, and pressed on his phone's screen more gently this time. He slipped the device back into his pocket, and looked down at his empty plate. "Hey, what the..."

Ivan loudly swallowed the remains of a pancake.

"Excuse you, that was mine!"

"You must excuse me. It is in my stomachs now."

"Oh? You still have your infamous appetite?"

Ivan clutched onto his gut. "I am not certain."

Matthew leaned away. "If you are going to puke, do it that way!"

"I will make sure my stomachs know that!"

With a wee snicker, Matthew rose from his seat to clean up the syrup-drowned plates. The growth of dishes (and possibly other stuff) in the sink was becoming unsanitary, he decided to tackle the mess. The running water covered up the noise of Ivan rising from his stool and slinking out of the kitchen.

"I been thinking about trying vanilla ice cream topped with maple syrup," Matthew began. "Do you think that would be good?" He set the last spoon on the dish rack and glanced behind himself. "Ivan? Oh no, what are you up to now?"

Ivan was sitting before the living room television, pointing and shaking something at the screen. He aimed the object at himself and asked aloud, "Is this not how it works?" He pressed a button, and the device made a short beep, startling him. He brought it closer to his face, squinting at the numbers on the key pad. "Oh, I think this is one of those communication devices."

"The remotes are right here on the coffee table, Ivan."

Ivan spun around, giggling at his own embarrassment. "The phone was amongst the remotes!"

"Was it?" Matthew took the device and set it back on its receiver on the end table. "Did you want to watch something on TV?"

"That is what I was hoping for," Ivan settled in the arm chair, momentarily alarmed by its rocking movements.

"Anything in particular?"

"Something with a lot of bright colors and good things."

"Okay, no murdering and blood."

Ivan whipped his head side to side. "No, not now."

Matthew hesitated, contemplating what would be suitable to his requests on modern television. He checked the time in the upper left corner of the screen, just in time for the nightly anime to start. With an excited wiggle, he curled against the side of the couch and clicked on the first showing. "How's this one?"

 _Of course_ the episode showing was one where the characters abandoned the plot to go to the beach. Just when a busty girl was serving a volley ball, Matthew tried the other channel. Ivan looked at him questionably. "I do not think women work that way-"

"I know. Yikes!" The teen exclaimed from a shower scene, going to an antique auction show before either of them could grow uncomfortable. He told himself, "Good one, Matthew."

"What is that thing?"

"Boring," Matthew said, beaming when he found the perfect solution. The new episode of his low-key favorite show was just airing. A montage of fuzzy kittens and bumbling puppies drifted across the screen, and the narrator began doting on the episode's stars.

"Oh? Oh!" Ivan gasped, cupping his hands over his face. A tiny kit waddled on stubby legs, earning a low squeal from the man, as if he were in pain from the cuteness. "Something like that should not exist!" A moment of glaring at the next litter of puppies, his resolve crumbled. "I want those."

"I know, right?"

"Can I-?"

"Just watch the show, Ivan."

~.~

~Heehee~

~.~

Matthew sucked in a sharp breath, coming to from sleep he did not realize he had fallen into, and he was still on the sofa, based on the wall of cushion on one side. The living room was completely dark, sometime at night, or perhaps early morning, and the television was turned off. He reached up to his face, rubbing his eyes against the darkness. His glasses ran away somewhere, and he really did not want to start a search party at that moment.

A light sigh sounded out, causing Matthew to tense beneath the head snuggling against his chest. His hand patted around, landing amongst soft hair, and he relaxed, resting his neck against the couch's arm. He eased his other hand into his hoodie's pocket for his phone, still managing to stay with him throughout the night. The light attacked his eyes, causing him to grunt and grumble quietly, and he squinted at the large numbers on the screen. He had an hour to spend before he had to get up for school.

Matthew's fingers twitched, exploring the head of hair splayed on his chest, and did not find any strange entities sticking from the sides. Then, he remembered the jewel embedded in Ivan's skin, hiding his demonic aspects deep inside his existence. Yet in a few hours, he would have to feel a bunch of teenagers stomping carelessly on his sneakers. None of them would know, could not know, how different his weekend and his school life went. How torturous it will be sitting in a hard, plastic seat after what he had witnessed!

Just when the teen squeezed his eyes shut, flopping his head against the couch cushion in defiance, a low whine escaped the body upon him. Matthew did not react, until another, louder noise made him pick up his head. "Ivan?" He softly called out. His companion shifted, his long legs drawing upwards to a fetal position. "Hey," he set a light hand onto his head, and Ivan immediately snapped up with panicked gasp.

"Whoa, hey! It's just me!" Matthew coaxed in a quieter, less panicked tone, "It's just me."

Ivan tossed his head side to side, expecting something to lash out at him through the darkness. "Matthew?"

"Who else?"

He shot an arm out, wrapping around Matthew's waist, and shoved himself against his chest. Matthew kept coaxing, "Hey, it'll be all right. Shh."

"Shh. Shh," Ivan echoed, rising up to giggles. His forehead rested on Matthew's shoulder, and he put a hand over the jewel in his skin, making a short thoughtful noise.

"Uh...Ivan...I can't...hardly breathe..."

"Oopsies!" The man released his overbearing hold, giggling at how Matthew flopped against the side of the couch, trying to reunite his lungs with air.

"What was that?!"

Ivan innocently asked, "What was what?"

Matthew sat up, glaring through the dark living room. "You know what." Ivan looked down, affixing his scarf around his neck, and merely shrugged. "Tell me," he weakly demanded. "Please?"

"You should not worry for me."

"I shouldn't?" Matthew lightly snorted. "You act like I can help it." Ivan snapped his head up, blinking in surprise. "You can go running out into the night and attack angels, but you're saying I shouldn't be concerned that something startled you? I can't help but worry, too."

"Oh!" Ivan exclaimed, the hands running down his pale scarf picking up pace. "That is...nice," he nodded, smiling more confidently. "Yes, very nice." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Matthew's lips. Matthew allowed a light touch, but pulled away to ask about more pressing matters.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What the Hell just happened?"

"You are stubborn," Ivan pointed out. "That can be good...sometimes."

"Look who's talking. What happened?"

"It was just a nightmare, Matthew."

Matthew clamped a hand on the back of the couch, shaking his head. " _Just_ a nightmare? Ivan-"

"I have plenty of those," Ivan said, as if talking about flowers in a garden. "I just got a little spooked, that is all."

"That's all?!"

"Stop," Ivan warned, leaning away. "I do not want to plague you with what runs through my mind at night."

Matthew dropped his gaze to his lap. "I'm sorry-"

"Do not apologize."

"I didn't know you had horrible nightmares."

"We only slept together a couple of times. Besides, I feel...more at peace with your company, but a lot has happened in a short amount of time, so my mind is crowded at the moment."

"Tell me about it. Seriously, if you want to talk to somebody about it, I wouldn't mind listening. Everyone has bad dreams."

"They do," Ivan agreed with a shallow sigh. His head turned toward the television, but the room was too dark to see it. "If I remember them, I suppose I can tell you what happens, since you asked me, but not this time, _okay_?"

Matthew worryingly pressed the back of his hand to Ivan's cheek. Although curious as he was, he murmured. "I won't force it out of you." He pulled away, lifting his glasses to rub at his eyes, and pondered to change the subject. "I have to get ready for school soon."

"Do you _have_ to?"

"I ask myself that, too, but unless I want to be fined, then yes, I have to go."

"You are already fine, though," Ivan said. The room was silent for a few moments. "That meant something else entirely, did it not?"

"Yes, yes it did." Matthew tried to cover the laughter in his voice, failing not so miserably. "When you are fined, you are charged for doing something wrong, like trespassing, or littering. It's a punishment, like going to jail, but you have to pay money."

"That does not sound fine."

"No, it's not."

"I do not want to be fined!"

"You won't be. You don't have to go to school with me, but Ivan, don't burn down the house or anything when I'm gone."

"I can handle being alone...for a little while!"

Matthew smiled. "We will find out."

* * *

 _Blehps:_

(1) "Whatever, man!" His brother laughed annoyingly. "Whoa! Watch those things! I almost got a mouth full of feathers!"

"Who eats feathers?" Ivan asked, eyeing the remaining pancake on Matthew's plate.

"Eat me, Ivan!" The pancake beckoned.

Ivan nervously sweated. It looked delicious, but the sudden gain of speech in a breakfast food frightened him.

(2) Ivan loudly swallowed the remains of pancake. Matthew pulled out a switch blade. Tonight was the night bitches dine and die.


	27. Chapter 26

"I mean it! Don't touch the stove at all! I know it's all nice and sleek, but no! Don't do it!"

"You keep saying those things," Ivan held up a spring jacket for Matthew to shrug into, "my curiosity only grows. Why all the worry for a stove? Are they not as good as they look like those heels were?!"

"If you misuse it, yes! We almost had a...close call with Arthur and a pot of chili. If it was actually chili he was trying to cook..."

"Why would you let an angel near anything that emits heat? That sounds foolish."

"Try telling my brother that," Matthew said, zipping up his jacket nearly all the way. "He's the one that left Arthur unattended with a hot stove."

Ivan pressed his cheek against Matthew's from behind. "Yes, but unlike the angel, I can handle the heat far better than he can."

"I would not doubt you," Matthew turned his head and pecked his company's cheek before swooping down and grabbing his book bag that was tossed carelessly on his bedroom floor. "Well...I should get going now..." His friend held out his arms, giving them a little shake. "What?"

"Hug?"

Matthew grinned. "What about them?"

The man's smitten expression faltered as his hands lowered in the slightest. "May I have one before you leave for a long time?"

"Don't ask me that."

Ivan's arms fell completely. "Oh...oh!" He exclaimed when Matthew threw himself at him, the kind assault knocking air out of his lungs. "You will bruise yourself!" Ivan warned, setting a large hand on Matthew's head, and patted the golden hair in a mesmerized manner.

"It would be well worth it," Matthew stood on his toes to sincerely deliver a drawn out smooch against his partner's lips. Ivan's hands hovered, unsure where to put them with the bulky book bag against Matthew's back. Both of them giggled in embarrassment from the puckering noise made from pulling away.

"You speak of me being careful, but you should, too, Matthew."

Matthew rolled his eyes, pulling away. "Goodbye, Ivan." He turned for the door, slipping a hand in his hoodie's front pocket to grab his phone, and check if he had any messages from his brother. There was nothing new in his inbox at all. He clonked into his bedroom door's frame, and slapped a palm against his bumped forehead. "Who put that there?"

"Those things are dangerous in more ways than they help-" he marched down the hallway before he could hear the rest of Ivan's statement, not knowing if he was doting on cellular devices or doorways. Both had easily misguided possibilities.

"Ugh!" Matthew drew a sleeve over the lens of his glasses from the fierce gust of wind carrying tiny droplets of icy rainwater, but that hindered his vision even more. As long as he could see the sidewalk beneath his feet, he deemed it safe to continue to the school. The traffic became heavier closer to the bricked building, so Matthew hurried to the front doors before one of the adolescent drivers decided to mistake him for a red clad street cone, something that should not be a common occurrence as it is for him.

Inside the wide main hall, the other students immediately lost their ability to walk with effort, their soles squeaking like faulty windshield wipers all around Matthew, who chose not to join in their failed chorus. The sea of heads held none of which he was looking for, so he ducked into the library to escape the flood of other students. The atmosphere immediately enveloped him with quiet and the strange yet comforting scent of books.

As he approached the front desk to get a pass to come during his free period, a figure rushed towards him, and both of them collided with sharp grunts. Matthew took a step back, shoving his glasses back into place. "I'm not that hard to notice...Alfred?"

The other blond turned to him, seemingly confused at the sight of his twin. "Who are you?"

"Wha..."

Alfred let out a snicker. "Oh, man! Look at your face!"

"I can't do that," Matthew scowled at his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"I can be in a library if I want to. My skin isn't bubbling or anything. It kind of smells weird in here, though."

"If you picked one up, you would know that is what a book smells like."

Alfred put a hand along the side of his mouth, jerking his head towards the main desk. "Really? Here I was thinking it was the smell of those old library ladies farting."

Matthew squeezed his eyes shut for a short moment to prevent bursting out in laughter. "Is there...something you needed in here?"

"Nothing really, I guess. How are you doing, man?"

"Tired, obviously."

"What else is new?"

Matthew vaguely gestured around the library. "Certainly not this."

"Aw, man, yesterday was so cool! All the angels were like-"

"Hey, hey! Be quiet about that!" Some kid glanced behind himself at the slight commotion. Matthew nervously glanced at his back. "Not here."

"Come on," Alfred lightly complained. "I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

The other brother watched him hurry out of the library with his head ducked. One of the librarian's rushed over to take his place with her hands making a sweeping movement. "If you have somewhere to be, do not linger by the doors!"

"I need a pass-"

"Get passes over there!" She jabbed a wretched finger to the front desk. Matthew quietly ducked his head like his brother had done and hustled over to the other, cheery librarian.

As he turned for the counter, he scorned under his breath, "I met an angel with a sharper tongue than you."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew knew the school day was going to be dull and slow, but this was just ridiculous. He hurried to the lunchroom, only halfway through the day, as if walking fast would urge the time to go quickly, too. The usual table was empty, and he glanced around the room in confusion. Usually, Alfred was there first, flapping his arm off as if he would not notice him.

It felt unnatural to set his books on the empty table, but he settled down anyway to stare out the window. His brother was right; there was no sane way they could have gone back to school after what they done and seen over their extended weekend. _I want to go home so bad,_ Matthew was tempted to dash out of the lunchroom. The rear doors were right around the corner. He wondered if he would make it.

The table vibrated when someone carelessly dropped their lunch tray onto it and noisily clunked against the bench as they settled. Matthew snapped his head to face the intruder, but it was only his brother. "Hey."

Alfred only nodded at him, and went to work on turning over the circles of carrots on his tray, then back again.

"Um, hey, Al? What's up?"

"Huh?" Alfred glanced up for a short moment. "Nothing much."

"What, literally _nothing_ happened from the last time I saw you, or yesterday?"

Alfred cringed with a timid smile. "Y-yeah...I don't want to talk about it!"

"Hm, okay...if you say so..." Matthew busted out the Bonnefoy charm by mocking the face their father used to sneak information from people. "This is really distracting you, though. You're only making a mess out of your plate without eating anything, and that's _very_ strange."

"You know what's strange right now? You."

Matthew wagged his head side to side as if to shake off the façade. "Did I do good?"

He managed a weak smile from his brother. "Yeah, you weirdo."

"Well? Are you going to tell me?"

"Aw, come on!"

Matthew relayed in the same tone, "Come on!"

"Bro!"

"What? You've told me so many weird things over the years, Al. What is it this time?" Matthew raised his eyebrows as Alfred shook his head and mashed his vegetables with a fork instead of answering. "Is it weirder than that one time you licked your lasagna off the floor a few years back?"

"Nah, that wasn't too weird. Lasagna takes forever to make. I didn't want to waste it."

Alfred had done a lot of things that would fit into the vague criteria of 'weird,' so Matthew had to dig. "What about when you ran around town in your underwear and a blanket tied around your neck?"

"Dude, I was four."

"I'm going to be guessing all period!"

"I'll tell you later."

"Al-"

Alfred banged his hands on the table and hollered, "I'll tell you later!"

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows. "O-okay. Sheesh, I didn't mean to-"

"Yeah, yeah! I got a bunch of other stuff on my mind."

 _A bunch of stuff that you're not going to tell me, right?_ "Like what?"

Finally, Alfred shoveled a mess of chopped carrots in his mouth, but dropped his fork on his plate after that one. "What are you going to do?"

"Today? I really don't know. I don't work. Did you want to play video games later?"

"I mean with your life! Since your demon pal-buddy got that thing in his chest, does that mean he's just going stay here and you two are going to chill at home? Our home?"

"I..." Matthew scratched one side of his head. "We did that so he could be on the surface without the angels snagging him for being what he is. That doesn't guarantee I plan on 'chilling.' I may go somewhere more warmer, if you catch my drift."

"Living a normal life doesn't sound so bad."

"Well, Al, you may not be the only person that doesn't want to live a normal life."

"But you aren't sure."

"Yep."

"Yep, like you aren't sure, or yep, you are sure?"

"I'm not sure. I think Ivan wants me to go..." Matthew casted a suspicious glance around the lunchroom, "he wants me to go to Hell and stay there with him, but I wanted to graduate school and maybe spend a last birthday with my family."

Alfred's eyes bugged out. "A last birthday? So you're going to just drop into the Earth and that's it? Are you even going to send post cards?"

"I said I'm not sure yet! If that is even going to happen, I'd like to visit sometime, and I'm sure Ivan would love to have some more chocolate-covered potatoes again."

The other brother shuddered at the sound of any kind of food, which was especially freaky. "Ew! You would burn in Hell for the rest of your life so you could be with somebody you love?"

Matthew now knew why Ivan grew annoyed whenever he relayed crazy rumors on what Hell was like. "I may sweat a lot, but I'm not going to burn as long as I stay away from pools of lava, Al. Sheesh."

"But you heard what Artie said that one night! If you're siding with a demon, then you're not getting into Heaven!"

"Sure, but I am not going to get stabbed in the face with pitchforks in the afterlife, either." Matthew shook his head, "Ugh, Alfred, why are you so concerned about things that aren't even going to happen in the afterlife rather than what's happening now?"

Alfred wiped his palms on his jeans. "Reasons!"

His brother put on his dullest face. "Well, whatever these...reasons are, in the absolutely worse case scenario, and I'm talking about puppy-kicking, baby-eating scenarios, you're not going to be thrown away like you're a piece of trash. Didn't Arthur ever tell you that angels got this weird soul-recycling cycle? If you don't meet their top notch requirements, your soul is put into a new life to get better and heal over time."

"What's their top-notch requirements? What happens if I would meet them?"

"I don't know! You're sharing a motel room with an angel. Why don't you ask him?"

Alfred kept his eyes on his mashed up lunch. "He won't tell me. He always has to keep his secrets."

Matthew blinked in surprise. "Al?"

"What about demons? I bet angels won't even touch their souls. What happens to them?"

 _Oh, please, ignore my obvious concern._ Matthew clenched his jaw for a moment before shrugging. "Who knows? Maybe their spirits search for like, pregnant ladies or something to be reborn again, or once their dead, their souls are free game, even to angels."

"Man, that's so weird! This whole thing is weird!"

"Weird," Matthew agreed. He had to add, "Yet we're stuck here."

"Ugh, tell me about it."

"I never wanted to go home as badly as I do now."

Alfred admitted, "Me, too, bro. Me, too."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Forty minutes. Matthew stared at the wad of old, flattened gum on the ground next to his desk. _Gross._ He swore his fingers just brushed by one on the underside of his table. _Double gross!_ Thirty eight minutes. The teacher was rambling about the third or forth French Revolution. Perhaps it was the fifth one, if such existed. He did not know; he had a three day absence to catch up to, and was not making an effort to do anything about it.

Thirty six minutes. He could handle these two minute incremented glances back to the clock above the door. The teacher caught him looking at the clock, and gave him a sour look, but kept doting on lines to the guillotine. Matthew tried to shrink into his thick jacket, wondering why the air conditioning was on when Spring just officially broke. There was still snow on the ground. Another shiver. Thirty two minutes. Time passed faster when he was distracted by trying not to shudder violently, but not fast enough.

His eyes closed once the teacher turned off the lights to show pictures on the overhead projector, and they did not open until the series of dings from the loudspeakers signaled the end of the last period. Matthew stood up, stretching his arms. The girl that sat in the desk next to him offered a shy smile, but Matthew quickly pulled his jacket down, more worried about scooping up his binder and breezing out of the room without a glance back.

 _Home! Home!_ His thoughts cheered, always louder than his voice. Someone was standing right by the corner, only visible when he turned, but it was too late. His larger size barreled into the younger teen, and he grabbed her arms so she would not fall, never to get up beneath the dismissed adolescents. "Whoa! Sorry!"

The girl ripped her arm away, patting her hair and tugging on her shirt. With a glare, she returned to her foolish position. Matthew crinkled his nose, turning away. "Don't stand somewhere stupid, then," he quietly suggested, unheard by all except himself. Becoming bold, he pushed by the intersection, where kids rammed one another in all different directions, but soon found themselves overpowered by the senior. He smiled, reaching the outer throngs of the crowd.

 _Home! Pancakes! Warm blankets! ...Ivan._

 _...If he didn't burn down my house._

Matthew giggled, the delighted sounds drowned by the surrounding chaos, and he did not mind for once. A looming figure stood in the doorway of one of the exits, and he stared at it, disapproving and silent, as the crowd had to move to the other openings. Upon drawing closer, he realized it was none other than his brother straightening against the support beam, and flapped an arm.

"Mattie! Mattie!"

Matthew sighed in relief. "We're out."

Alfred elbowed him in the ribs, "That bad?"

"Sitting in a chair harder than..." Matthew glanced around, "than most things I would like to sit on, then yes."

"And watching Mr. Onion Butt bending over other students' desks?" Alfred put in, grinning ear to ear. He seemed to have bounced back to a happier mood.

Matthew shuddered. "No thanks!"

They crossed a street, and Alfred shivered, too. "Fuck! It's too cold! Isn't it supposed to be Spring now?"

"It started a few days ago. It isn't going to go _poof,_ suddenly everything buds and birds are singing."

"That'd be pretty funny if that happened! Like from Fall to Winter, all the leaves fall off at once, and then a giant blanket of snow comes down..."

Matthew looked around, spotting their house down the street, and glanced back to his brother. "Aren't you staying at a motel room? Why are you walking with me?" Alfred leaned his head back, causing him to look like he had double chins. "I didn't mean to be mean!"

"Yeah, I was going to say, 'Exuuuuuuuuuuuuse me!' It's my home, too, Mattie!"

"But I thought you and Arthur..."

"He's still back at the motel."

"Did you forget something back at home?"

Alfred only shrugged, bounding forward into the front yard. Matthew grimaced, wanting to be the first one inside, just in case a malfunction with a stove and a demon occurred. However, his brother was already swinging open the door, and stepped inside the hallway. "Yoohoo!" The younger twin beckoned in a sweet, singsong tone.

"What are you doing?" Matthew asked, closing the door behind him. There was a thump from upstairs.

"I'm seeing how fast-" A door bounced off of a wall, and both boys flinched from the possible damage.

Instead of words, a high chirping noise shot from the top of the stairs, and Ivan threw himself down the steps. The brothers took a collective step away as his long legs awkwardly thumped on the hardwood floors. He jerked to a halt before the duo, glancing between the both of them uneasily. "This is...unsettling with the two of you so close." He took a sniff at them, and drifted to one side, tugging Matthew away from his brother.

"That was record time!" Alfred cackled. "I told you!"

"Told him what?" Ivan asked, hanging his arms off of Matthew's shoulders. He narrowed his eyes when Alfred replied with another fit of laughter. Matthew stared at his brother with a mix of annoyance and confusion. "What are you doing back here?"

"It's my house, too!" Alfred squawked, his feet dancing almost angrily on the floorboards. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Only two people asked you that," Matthew grumbled, sighing from the source of heat pressing against his back which greatly contrasted the chilly air outside. "Why _did_ you come back?"

"It's _my_ house!" Alfred slunk into the kitchen, still complaining, "Sheesh! Are you going to cook dinner, Mattie? I'm starving!"

Matthew turned his head to give Ivan a look that meant, "Are you freaking kidding me?"

"Ooh! We got stuff to make grilled cheese sandwiches!"

Ivan asked, "Alfredo is not pulling legs, is he?"

"I'm afraid not."


	28. Chapter 27

"Grilled cheese! Grilled cheese! Grilled cheese!"

Matthew set out a plate with two cheese sandwiches in front of his brother so he would be quiet. Alfred made a successful fist. "Yes!"

The older twin narrowed his eyes and turned back to the stove. _I'm only cooking because apparently, 'Food tastes better when I do it.'_ He just did not want to hear his brother complain. Sure, it _was_ Alfred's house, too, but he was looking forward to 'alone' time after school.

Ivan was much quieter with his hands locked together on the island counter, waiting for his own food. "How was your school?"

With an occupied mouth, Alfred announced, "I don't usually say this, but it was awful, dude. You're so lucky demons don't have to go there."

"Yes, lucky..." Ivan let out a sharp breath from his nose. "What about your day, Matthew?"

"Long and boring."

There was a little giggle from Ivan, and Alfred gave him a weird side glance. "You are not at school anymore. We should do something that is...not as long or boring."

"Oh?" Matthew was surprised his brother managed to keep quiet for a few seconds from the suggestive tones passed around the kitchen. "What were you planning?"

He could almost feel Ivan's smile grow at his back. "Watching those kittens and puppies on the screen."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan. After dinner."

"Of course."

Matthew glanced over his shoulder to his brother with a broad grin. Alfred was pulling disturbed faces and was not trying to hide it. After Ivan received his own tray of grilled cheese, the younger twin roughly gulped down a piece of his to ask, "Since demons don't go to school, what do they do? Do you have demon jobs like community service, or whipping bad people for all eternity?"

"We switch every five hours after a pitchfork-poking session, and when the weak ones do not make it, we toss the bodies into a pit of lava."

"Huh?!" Alfred dropped his half-eaten sandwich on his plate with a glimpse to his brother. "Mattie, I thought you said people don't-"

Matthew groaned, "They don't!"

Ivan sang, "I was pulling legs again! If all the sinners went to Hell after they died, it would get really crowded!"

Alfred took a cautious chew of his food. "So...if someone was really, really, _really_ bad, like, so bad that the angels don't even want to take their soul, what happens to them?"

"I sure do not know, Alfredo!" It sounded so strange for Ivan to be heavily sarcastic. "Maybe you should ask an angel if they have a reject pile."

Matthew wagged a spatula at them. "Be nice."

Ivan asked, "Why do you worry so much?" He leaned toward Alfred, and Alfred seemed to become locked in his stare. "Unless you have done something so awful that you believe there is no way out through repentance?"

The last sandwich may have been burning in the pan, but that was the least of Matthew's concerns. "Al, what the Hell did you do?"

Despite his loud laugher, Alfred's face flushed red and he shrugged Ivan away. "Who says I did anything? I'm just being curious!"

Ivan jerked back to his own personal space. "Ouch."

Matthew flicked off the stove, turned around, and slapped his hands on the counter. "You've been acting weird all day. Something is up, and do not try denying it. At least not to me, of all people!"

Alfred stuck his tongue out at Matthew before turning his attention to the kitchen window.

"Alfred, you're my brother. There are very few things that would be too freaky to tell between us."

There was a noisy crunch from Ivan. Both siblings looked in his direction, and he raised his eyebrows in question. "Yes?"

Alfred scrunched his face up as he dropped his grilled cheese back on its plate. "Yeah, maybe between _us_ , but..."

"Excuse us, Ivan. We're going to need a private moment." Matthew hurried around the counter and shoved Alfred's shoulder to get him to follow. "Come on. Let's go upstairs."

Ivan asked, "Can I have the rest of your sandwich?"

Alfred was about to turn away to the hallway, but shot out an arm to snatch the leftovers on his own plate and jammed them in his mouth with an angry chomp. Ivan only shook his head and laughed. "Let's go to my room."

Matthew said, "If that makes you feel better," and trailed after him up the stairs. He quietly closed the bedroom door behind himself as his brother flopped on the bed. He turned around and propped against the wood. "All right. What's going on?"

Alfred glimpsed around his bedroom with an unusual nibble of his nails. "I'd say I would burn in Hell if you guys didn't say it doesn't work like that."

"Oh, so something _is_ up. Okay, it doesn't. So, what's up?"

Alfred clamped his hands over his face, glasses included, so of course, his words were muffled. When Matthew blankly stared instead of answering, his brother peeked between his fingers. "You know there was no way I could have heard what you just said."

"I'm a pervert."

"What?"

Alfred's shoulders hunched up and he quickly muttered, "I said I am a pervert."

"Y-you're...?" Matthew had to make sure he heard that right. "When I think of pervert, I'm thinking Dad-levels of pervert."

Alfred put his hands down to exclaim, "It _was_ Dad-levels of pervert!" He then flopped to his side and shoved a blanket into his face.

"Really? Try me."

"I...ugh, Artie tends to wake up earlier than me, so he gets a head start on things, okay?"

Matthew nodded. "Okay." Things seemed normal enough.

"So by the time I woke up, he already went to get breakfast, and told me he was going to hop in the shower."

"He took a shower _after_ breakfast? I can't stand eating when I'm all grungy."

"I don't know, man, angels are weird. Maybe because they spill stuff on themselves all the time." A hand raised from the pile of blankets and swished in dismissal. "Whatever. I went down, got breakfast, and by the time I came back to the room, he was done...or I thought he was."

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows, but kept quiet.

"I mean, the bathroom door was open! How'd I know that he'd be almost bare-ass naked?"

"Oh, Al, people walk in other people getting dressed all the time! It happened _way_ too many times with Dad..."

"Yeah, but Dad is always changing clothes or almost running around naked, and neither of us, well, I hope neither of us stand in the doorway and stare!"

Matthew's mouth gaped open. "You didn't..."

The whine from the bed told him, yes, Alfred did.

"Jeez. Why?"

"I don't know! It was just one of those things that just...happened!"

"Did he catch you staring?"

"Ugh, yeah." By then, Matthew was feeling a nauseous wave of second-hand embarrassment. "He turned around and saw me and we kind of just stood there looking at one another, and I even remember word-for-word what I said." Alfred picked up his head to say in a fake cheerful tone, "'Hey, Artie! What are you doing?' And then, obviously, he got all flustered and told me, 'Uh, getting dressed.' in a 'What the heck is wrong with you?' kind of tone and shut the door in my face."

"Okay, that was a little weird, but you locked up. There's no reason to condemn yourself to an afterlife of suffering because of that."

Alfred flopped onto his back to gesture to the ceiling. "Maybe if it were _just_ that! Things get weird between two dudes that live under the same roof after a while."

"Exactly," Matthew shook his hand to get his brother to understand. "So maybe you should stop moping!"

"Oh!" Alfred's voice grew pitched. "Like it's that easy! Suddenly I'm all better!" He tugged the blankets over his face.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you!" Matthew threw his hands in the air when his brother clutched onto the sheets tighter. "Okay, that's it. I'm coming for the ears!" He lunged forward and onto the bed. "Gimmie!"

"What?!" Alfred shrieked, momentarily popping his head out, but when he caught what his brother meant, he dove deeper in the covers. "No! Leave my ears alone!"

Matthew dug around the squirming pile of blankets and knocked Alfred's glasses off of his face before latching onto one of his ears. "Aha! Got one!"

"No!" Alfred threw out an arm to feebly swat at Matthew, but his brother was strategically behind him and above the covers, so he wound up trapping himself. "Ow! Quit it!"

Matthew yanked on his ear again. "I'll quit it once you say you like Arthur!"

"You suck!"

"No, you suck!"

More useless wiggling, "Ow, ow! No!"

"Come on, Al, you know what you need to say." Matthew grabbed for the other ear. "Do I have to take them both? What would Dad say when he sees you walking around with no ears? How would you wear your glasses then?"

By now, both of Alfred's ears were more than red. "Mercy!"

"You know what would bring mercy!"

Alfred sobbed and pawed at the side of his head. "You're so mean! Eek! Okay, okay!"

Matthew stopped pulling, but did not let go. "Okay, what?"

Alfred pressed his face into the bed and mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I think I like him."

Matthew hovered closer with a cheesy grin. "Like who?"

"Mattie...quit it. You know who."

"Ugh. fine." Matthew pulled away and let his brother sit up, hair astray and face flushed as if he just ran through his own war. "So..."

"So what?! You're supposed to be nice!"

"It gets tiring after a while!" Matthew went to tug at Alfred's ear again, but giggled when his brother swerved to one side. "So, I wanted to ask you what you are going to do about this."

"Ha-ha! Are you kidding?! I'm not doing anything about it! If Arthur found out, he would hit me!"

"Why the Hell would he hit you?"

"Because I got the Feelings!"

"That's a good thing!"

"Sure, but what if I tell him and he doesn't have them?"

Stumped for a moment, Matthew blurted the first thing that came to mind. "What if he does?"

Alfred was terrified. "That doesn't help matters, dude!"

"What do you want me to say, Al? It's only going to get worse if you stay around him and don't say anything. So, either stop hanging out with him, or man up and tell him you like him."

"But..." Alfred sighed when Matthew glared. "It's going to make things weird for us either way!"

"What did I just say?" Matthew sprung from the bed, grabbed his brother's arm and pulled. "Sitting here isn't going to do anything. It didn't do anything before, and it's not going to do anything now."

Alfred groaned, "Mattie, no."

"Um, yes. Get your lard butt off the bed!" Matthew kept yanking, and almost fell backwards when his brother rose from the bed and shuffled forward. "Good. Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

" _You_ are going to go to that motel and have a nice, long talk with Arthur."

"Whoa, what?!" Alfred latched onto the door frame. "No, I'm not!"

Matthew started to kick at his heels. "If you won't do it now, you won't ever do it. I know, Alfred. I've been there myself!"

Alfred only moved because Matthew hit the back of his knees. "You're a savage!" He exclaimed, and suddenly threw himself backwards. His brother bumped into a wall, and he seized the opening to spin around and dash toward the bathroom, most likely to lock himself in there.

"Oh, no you don't!" Matthew shoved away from the wall and lunged after Alfred. He almost missed, but managed to snag a belt loop and yanked down. When he tripped, he took his brother with him, and both of them crashed to the floor. Alfred spat and started to wiggle out of his jeans to escape, and his twin realized, "Ivan! Ivan, I need your help! Get up here!"

"Ha-ha, you have to call in reinforcements because you can't handle me!" Despite that, Alfred began thrashing more urgently and managed to crawl into the bathroom with his pants over his ankles. Matthew tossed them aside and leaped to his feet the same time his brother did, and shoved himself against the door so it wouldn't close. "Quit pushing, man!"

"You quit it, you ass! If you're not going to get out of here on your own, then I'll make you!"

Alfred's feet slid on the bathroom tiles as he tried to push the bathroom door shut while his brother wedged himself between the frame to keep it open. "Yeah, right! You can hardly keep this door open!" He was all big talk until another pair of hands pressed against the door. He yelped, skittering backwards until he hit the bathtub and scrambled to grab the door knob before he would fall into the basin.

Matthew snatched his brother's jeans from the floor. "Get him! We're taking him outside!"

"No way!"

Unfortunately for Alfred, there was no where to go with no time as Ivan slung his arm around his throat from behind and dragged him out of the bathroom while his hands flung and reached for anything to anchor himself. Matthew beamed in triumph, which seemed to make his brother more angrier, more red in the face. Unless that was Ivan strangling him as he towed him down the hall.

"You're fucking strangling me!"

It was a little bit of both. Ivan let go to wrap his arms around Alfred's torso for a rough trip down the stairs. Alfred managed to kick back at his shins, but the man only mused over his attacks with a delighted giggle. Matthew followed closely, unhooking Alfred's hands whenever they managed to latch onto something. Once everyone reached the bottom of the staircase, he squeezed by his brother's grabby attacks and threw open the front door. He then tossed Alfred's pants at him as Ivan let go to push his back, and Alfred stumbled and nearly flailed off the porch.

He snapped his head toward the pair, and shouted, "Hey!" but the door shut in his face. Matthew locked it for further measure just as there was a pound against the strong wood. "Mattie, you're awful! If Arthur rips me a new one, I'm blaming you!"

Matthew called back, "You might like it!" He hurried to the rear door and locked that one, too. The windows were a possibility, but by the time Alfred would have opened one and began to crawl through it, he was sure that either him or Ivan would just smack his head until he retreated. He eyed his brother yank his jeans back on and sulk down the sidewalk in the direction of the town's shops and motel. "I think we're safe now," he told Ivan. He faced his company with a docile smile. "Good teamwork."

"Likewise." Ivan held a courteous arm out that was just strangling somebody not two minutes ago. "Would you like to watch the television now and cuddle?"

Matthew eagerly latched onto the offered arm. "Of course!"

~.~  
~DINGALING~

~.~

With an organic heater against his body and an episode of the world's cutest puppies and kittens lowly buzzing in the background, Matthew almost immediately fell into a slump on the couch. A faint ringing arose in the living room, and a hand snuck across his stomach. He lazily sniggled from his dreams bleeding into reality, and his eyes cracked open. Ivan was pinching his cell phone between a forefinger and thumb, staring at the screen in what the teen wondered was animosity.

Ivan touched the screen with a small jab, and nicked the green circle, picking up the call. He gasped, nearly dropping the phone when a muffled " _Allô?"_ emitted from it.

" _Matthieu?"_

Ivan uncertainly put the object to his ear.

 _"Matthieu, are you there?"_

Matthew quickly closed his eyes to pretend he was still sleeping when Ivan glanced to him. "He is sleeping."

The living room was quiet since the television had been turned off and the other line was loud enough for Matthew to catch his father's voice. Francis sharply demanded, "Who is this?"

"I am me."

" _Who is me?!_ If you 'ave done anything to my son-"

"I did not do anything!" Ivan cried out. He twitched when Matthew grumbled as if disturbed and slung a leg over his lap.

"Who. Is. This."

"Ivan!"

Francis was quiet for a moment. There was a heavy sigh from the other line, "Why did you not say so in the first place?! I almost had a panic attack!"

"Do not do that!"

"I almost did!" Francis repeated.

"Oopsies!"

"So...where is my son?"

Matthew clenched his jaw to prevent from smiling. Ivan said, "He is sleeping at the moment."

"Ah, I was wondering why he did not pick up his phone."

"He is sleeping."

"You said that."

"I did!"

A low chuckle erupted from the phone. "I 'ave you know my boys are not supposed to sneak in other people when I am not there."

"I did not sneak in. I entered through the front door."

"Of course," Francis let out content laughter. "I suppose I will make an exception for _you, cher._ "

"Ah, thank you?"

"You take care of _mon fils_ , you 'ear me?"

"I hear what you are saying." Ivan probably did not know a lot of the words he was saying. Demons probably did not have French lessons, or at least, around these parts they did not.

Another laugh, but this one was more frightening. "Heh, heh, heh. Not only do I know how to please a man, but I know how to destroy one."

Ivan wondered aloud, "Are you...threatening me? Why does most of this family want to fight all the time?"

"I am warning you."

"About what?"

"What do you think?!" Francis cried. " _Mon Dieu..._ " He fell into a slur of French. "Be 'onest with me. Are you from around here?"

Ivan let out a nervous giggle. He wiggled on the couch cushion, and Matthew held a breath for his response. "I try not to make it obvious."

"Ah! A foreigner?! I am sure that is an interesting story, but I do not 'ave time at the moment. Do not tell my boys this, but they will be seeing me by the end of next week. Our secret."

"Hush, hush."

" _Oui,_ very 'ush 'ush. Until then, behave yourselves."

The phone line made a muffled noise, and then clicked off. Ivan held it against his ear for a moment, eyebrows furrowing from the silence. Matthew suddenly shot up and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "My Papa is coming back in a few days!"

Ivan jumped a little and exclaimed in delight, "Matthew!"

"Hey, you." Matthew put him in an affectionate choke hold before relaxing to give his biceps a squeeze. "Did my dad try to creep on you?"

"Is your father not always creeping?"

"Hm, true." Matthew looked to the living room window and noticed it was dark outside. "Did Alfred come home when I was asleep?"

"Yes. I called out to him when he came through the door, but he just made this odd squeak and hurried upstairs."

"I wonder if he's still awake." Matthew narrowed his eyes at nothing in particular. "I wonder if he even spoke to Arthur like he was supposed to."

"About what?"

"Oh, um...stuff." Matthew snatched his glasses from the coffee table and rushed out of the living room. "Stay here!"

"If I must..."

Matthew darted up the stairs on all fours like an animal (it made him go faster, in his defense) and stopped right in front of his brother's door. "Al?" With no reply, he knocked on the white wood. "Al, are you in here?" He checked the bathroom, but it was unoccupied, so he returned to the bedroom. "Hey, I'm opening the door now." He did just that, and his shoulders slouched at the lump on the bed.

Alfred was rolled amongst his blankets, his back to any intruders, and he did not move. Matthew whispered, "You're sleeping already?" Usually he was the one to stay up into the morning instead of the younger twin, but it was a bit too early to go to sleep, even for early birds.

Although, Alfred had developed this pattern to pass out whenever he hung around Arthur for a while. Matthew wondered if that creepy goodwill 'feeding' was not as harmless as he once thought. "Or are you ignoring me?" Nothing. He shrugged and wedged out the bedroom. "I'll be downstairs if you want to talk."

Matthew squinted at the clump of blankets one last time, in case Alfred could feel his suspicious gaze and that would pull him out of bed. No luck...this time. He clunked down the stairs and skirted into the living room. He eagerly lunged over the back of the couch and settled with a loud thump. Ivan gave him a surprised look when he grinned and asked, "What's up?"

"Where is Alfredo?"

"Sleeping, I guess. I don't think he wants to be bothered."

"What did we send him to?"

"Earlier? Tough love between him and Arthur, and frankly, I'm a little scared for him. Al's a tough guy, though, so whatever happened, I'm sure he'll recuperate quickly."

"Why was he 'freaking out' when I dragged him outside? I thought humans were eager to love angels."

"This is Alfred we're talking about. Sometimes I doubt he's even human."

Ivan tipped his head. "What else would he be?"

"I think there was a meteor shower around the time I was born, and my dad found a strange rock that had a baby alien inside of it, so he took it home and raised it with me."

"What is an alien?"

"Oh, um...they're people from outer space."

"Outer space?"

"Yeah, it's really big, and all around us..." Matthew dropped his hands that were lamely gesturing with his struggles. "You know what? Never mind. How's your uh, chest thing doing?"

Ivan opened a few buttons of his shirt to show it off. "This this? Oh, it is doing wonders. Although it feels a little cold..."

Matthew caught some of the white fabric and gave it a curious tug. "Whoa, how'd you get this scar?" An edge of another one crossed a faint but long trench against Ivan's pale skin. "Hey, wait, you have-"

Ivan's hands clamped onto his and pried invading fingers away from his marred chest. Matthew glanced up, surprised at his company's gloomy expression despite the pink blooming across his cheeks. "You should ask me first before attempting to remove my clothes."

Now it was Matthew's turn to turn tomato-red. He ripped away and scooted backwards until he pressed against the other arm of the couch. "I was just curious...ugh, I'm such a creeper! I am so sorry!"

Ivan grinned at his blabbering. "Oh, so you are not going to ask?"

"Huh?" Matthew took his palms away from his face. "Ask about what?"

"Are you going to ask me if you can remove my clothes?"

Matthew made a face as if he was disturbed, but he was not. "Be quiet, you creeper."

"That makes the two of us creepers." Ivan leaned back and made a beckoning motion. "Come here, since you are so curious..."

Matthew sprung a smile and crawled forward to wedge himself between Ivan and the back of the couch. He tapped the weird ebbing patch embedded in his partner's chest and let out a happy sigh when a hand trailed down his shoulder blades to rub his arm. "So where did you get these scratches?"

"Around and about."

Matthew picked up his head. "Ivan."

Ivan raised his eyebrows. "Matthew?"

"Around and about where? In Hell, right?"

"Yes..."

"Like, from accidents, or did..." Matthew traced a long gash scored across Ivan's sternum, and a nauseous feeling sunk into his stomach. He tried again, "Did other demons do this?"

"Both." Ivan's eyes drifted to the ceiling, and he was no longer smiling. "As I said, it is dangerous to wander."

Matthew wiggled up more to peer at his face, but his company was avoiding his gaze. "Oh, I...I won't bother you about it anymore tonight." He tugged some of Ivan's shirt closed, but still prodded that odd lump the angels gave him.

Ivan let off a little sigh and gave Matthew's shoulder a firm squeeze. "Thank you."

"You know, beforehand, you seemed reluctant to get this thing. Was it because you thought the angels were forcing you into a trap, or were there other reasons?"

The palm against his bicep moved to ruffle his hair. "You are such a curious thing, Matthew. Somehow...it flatters me."

Matthew could not stop smiling from the long fingers weaving through his hair and down his face. "You're very welcome."

Ivan tilted his head against his own shoulder and tapped Matthew's lips with a fingertip. "If I knew how peaceful it felt, I would have eagerly ran to those angels to be like this."

"Peaceful?"

"My blood runs hot. It is in our nature to hunt for something that makes our hearts race. Now, I feel like I can lay here with you as that Sun runs along the sky without feeling anxious or as if I am wasting myself. However, deep inside, I will always miss that excitement that few things can beat until I become myself again. It is who I really am." Ivan blinked out of his deep thoughts and glanced to Matthew, who had his hands folded on his chest and his chin resting on his own fingers. "My words get jumbled sometimes, but you understand what I mean, yes?"

"Of course. Have you always been this cute?"

Ivan was startled by the question, but only for a moment. He giggled, playfully mimicking Matthew, "Of course."

A knock on the door frame popped their private bubble. Matthew shot to a sitting position to peer over the back of the couch. Alfred had his face scrunched, and his eyebrows were trembling with the effort it took not to laugh. "Can I talk to you? Unless you're too busy..."

Matthew lightly retorted, "Are you? I thought you were taking a nap."

His brother let out a snicker, and jerked his head over his shoulder. "Come on, dude. I'll be waiting upstairs, my room."

"I better go," Matthew said to Ivan. "Before Alfred falls asleep on me again!"

* * *

 _A.N.- I have the feeling that Matthew would be the type of person to push up his glasses with his middle finger._


	29. Chapter 28

Alfred plopped on his bed, and he watched his brother slip inside his bedroom and close the door right behind himself. He had his usual bright expression, but he did not jump for joy or start bursting into tears...yet. So, Matthew had to know right away, "You talked to Arthur, right?"

"Nah, I went to the convenience store and grabbed a bag of cheesy poofs."

Matthew glared. "Seriously?"

Alfred proceeded to bust into laughter. "If you could only see your face! Aw, man, I should have. I'm kind of hungry after that nap and...stuff." His joy fell for a more serious outlook, and he looked away, as if the walls had good answers. "Yeah, I talked to him."

"And? What happened?" Matthew drifted to the bed to plunk beside his brother, poised in case Alfred tried to run away again.

"W-well, I first busted in his motel room and told him that I think we should totally go on a date. Which I mean, we totally should, but he just looked at me from the TV and told me that it was a terrible joke and I should get out."

"Wow. He's salty _."_

"Bro, that's what I've been saying! So salty!" Alfred sniggled for a bit before swishing a hand. "Anyway! Eventually, I managed to make him realize I was being legit with my heart, man. This was some tender stuff I was laying down!"

Matthew grinned at his brother's growing blush. "Really? Like what?"

"S-stuff! Details that aren't important." Alfred cringed and he smacked the sides of his face. "He was trying so hard to be serious but he was getting embarrassed and then I was getting more embarrassed-!"

Matthew decided minute details were indeed, not important. "Okay, but what did he say overall?"

Alfred took a long breath, and let it out in a quick sigh. "Yes and no."

"What?"

"He said yes and no, bro!"

"Yeah, I caught that. Does he or not?"

"He does...I think. I mean, he said he would be willing to like...hook up, but we should wait to make it official."

"Because we're still in school?"

"Nah, well, yeah, I guess, but he didn't say that. Angels get together for life, and apparently they're super serious about that, so he wants to make sure this isn't just a fling on both ends. He even told me he would be pissed if went off with somebody else after we get together. If we did, but I wouldn't do that! That's mean!"

"You say that now before the magic wears off."

"That's the point he's trying to make." Alfred flopped onto the blankets with a little bounce. "So, if this...whatever goes away, maybe it'll be something we both laugh about in several years." Matthew heard him release an oddly light sigh, and when he glanced over his shoulder, his brother had a distant fix on the ceiling. "But if it's starting to really be the real deal...ha, it's so weird. People finding 'The One' while they're still a wacky teenager dealing with math class and hockey try outs? Part of me thinks that's just stupid, but also...it's kind of...romantic."

Matthew twisted on the mattress to give Alfred a bewildered grin. "Really? You, Mister Alfred, romantic?"

"Argh! Shut up!" Alfred pounded his palms against his bed. "Dad's probably been whispering love poems in my ear while I'm sleeping!"

"You can't use that excuse! Dad's been in England for almost two weeks!"

Alfred shoved his brother's shoulder. "Then it must have been you! Ever since you and Ivan hooked up, you became this love guru guy!"

"Oh hush! Maybe because I listen to Dad when he goes on these love rants."

"Ha-ha..." Alfred's short laughter drifted to a thoughtful noise. "Dang, maybe I should have, too. I don't want anyone thinking that I...um,...ugh, that I like Arthur just because he's an angel."

"That's probably why he told you to wait."

"Yeah, maybe. I kind of miss him already."

Matthew, in turn, shoved Alfred's shoulder. "You sap!"

Alfred let out a lazy wail. "I can't help it! I really hope that's not the case, though! That would be lame...and he'd probably hit me on the head if he found out. I wouldn't be able to help it, anyway! Have you ever just stared at the light around him, and this strange feeling of peace comes over you?"

"Once, the first time I saw him uncloaked. This was right after he got done nearly drowning me, so it was really weird."

"Wow. You must have mixed feelings about that."

"Yeah, I wanted to punch him again at the same time, too."

Alfred shot up. "That was you that punched him? I thought that was Ivan that did that! Dude!"

Matthew held up his hand. "I thought he was trying to drown me."

"I thought he said it was a cleansing or baptism or whatever."

"Whatever."

"I'm kind of impressed! Is it mean to say I wanted to see that?"

"Sort of."

"Damn it. Don't tell Arthur."

Matthew leaned back until he was laying on the bed and staring at the pencil scribbles of stars and rocket ships on the ceiling, thanks to Alfred many years ago. "I miss just hanging out and talking for hours."

"Remember we used to have 'sleepovers?'"

"And we got Dad to make us tea and croissants for whoever was the 'guest?'

The brothers shared a little laugh. Alfred, filled with nostalgia, said, "Dude..."

Matthew agreed, "Dude."

"It's going to be different now, though, right?" Even though his voice was a whisper, Alfred was still loud, "If you are going to go to Hell, and I'm not going to live with Dad forever...and then we're probably going to get married, but I guess kids are out of the picture. Oops."

"You can adopt."

"Oh, yeah. I wonder how Arthur is like with kids." Alfred immediately clamped a palm over his own mouth. Before Matthew could gloat, he cried, "Shut up! That completely came out on its own. Don't even start!"

"To think I have been living with a closeted sap the whole time!"

Alfred's legs kicked against his bed. "Quit calling me a sap, man!"

Matthew gasped and tugged on his sleeve. "Al!"

His brother jerked and became alert. "What? What!"

"You're a sap!"

Alfred threw his head back as Matthew busted into laughter, smacking his forehead into the mattress. "Fuck off!"

"All right, all right, I'll stop pulling your leg." Matthew lifted his glasses to wipe his eyes from laughing too hard. "You-"

A loud snarl ripped through the floor, followed by a thump and crash as something tumbled below their feet. Both brothers shot from the bed, and Alfred squawked, "What was that?"

" _Ahhh!_ "

"Was...was that Ivan?"

Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose before affixing his glasses. "Let's go see what's up."

When they stepped into the hall, Ivan scrambled up the steps and almost barreled into them. Alfred spat, "Jeez, calm down-!"

"Matthew! Matthew, someone came into the house, and I was not thinking, and tackled the intruder into a wall, but then I realized it was your father!"

They stared at one another until Alfred busted with laughter. "Are you kidding me? I'll go see if he's all right."

"Papa told you he was going to come home soon, Ivan."

"I did not know _this_ soon!"

Matthew sighed, trying to cover amusement in his voice, "All right. I'm going to check things out, too. Wait in my bedroom."

Ivan only replied with a disgruntled noise before slinking down the hall. Matthew hurried down the steps, and Alfred was standing their father's suitcase upright while Francis rubbed his shoulder. "Papa, are you okay?"

" _Matthieu!_ Both of my boys are 'ome. What a lovely way to end the night!" Francis held his arms out to beckon them into a hug. "Come, come. I am fine. More shaken than 'urt." When they all pressed together in a warm, joyous moment, he exclaimed, "What a fierce grip! I 'ave not realized 'ow...protective he is!"

Matthew pulled away first. "I'm so sorry, Papa. He's a little antsy with intruders."

Alfred, still clung around their father, raised his eyebrows. "A little?"

Francis patted his shoulder before sliding away to grasp the handlebar to his suitcase. "No, it is somewhat my fault. He was infatuated with the TV, so I took the...opportunity to sneak up on 'im and grab his shoulders."

Matthew drew a horrified gasp. "Oh, no..."

His brother gave him a confused look. "Oh no?"

"Um, yeah, like I said earlier, he gets anxious sometimes." Matthew gave Alfred a desperate look for him not to ask for clarification. "I'm sure he has good reasons for being jumpy." He looked to Francis. "How was your trip? Did you have fun?"

Francis winked, causing Alfred to giggle. "You know I always make sure I do."

"And it looks like you're free of the plague!"

"Ah, that too."

Alfred pulled an expression as if he were constipated. "Hey, Dad, can I talk to you about some stuff?"

Francis gave him a surprised look. "Stuff?"

"Yeah..." Alfred glanced to his brother, and Matthew caught on the odd glance he received.

 _He probably wants to talk about love stuff, that sap!_ "I'll be upstairs."

"Oh?" Francis asked, "Is your friend staying the night? I can make all of you breakfast in the morning."

Alfred gasped excitedly, and Matthew exclaimed, "Really? That'd be great!" He inched toward the stair case. "I'm going to bed now. Goodnight."

"Of course. Be safe."

Once Matthew split from his family and meandered down the hall, he reached inside his room to flick on the light. The sudden brightness made the lump of blankets squeak in surprise and it buried itself into the covers even more. He glanced to the slacks on the ground, and then back to the bunch of cloth with a glare that he hoped Ivan could feel through his cheap protection.

"So you're going to hide the whole night."

The covers shifted around, but nobody popped out. "Yes."

Matthew marched over to his bed to yank on the top blanket. "No, you're not!

"I would like to hide here and be embarrassed, please!"

He stopped trying to pull apart Ivan's hideout. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I...I pinned your father against a wall. I could have severely injured him."

"Oh, Ivan, you only managed to wrinkle his shirt. He's not mad, you know. He was just creeping, but now knows not to that again, eh?"

A head of shaggy pale hair emerged from the corner of the bed, nowhere that Matthew expected his face to be. "Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not! It was a little misunderstanding. Stop worrying about it." When it seemed that Ivan was still worrying about it, he awkwardly put in, "He probably liked it, anyway."

"What? Your father likes being pushed against walls? Does this entire family enjoy challenging others to fights?"

"Ugh, never mind." Matthew resumed to tug on his blankets. "Come on, you lug. I want to get in my own bed, too."

Ivan grabbed for the blanket that slipped away, but was too late as Matthew bunched all of it in a large ball and backed away from the bed. "Now I am cold."

"Put on some pants, then!"

"I left my clothes in Hell. I thought were not going to be here for this long. We just needed ice for a bit, yes? Then, that angel took care of everything."

Matthew glanced to his bare legs, and sighed. "Fine. Here's the blanket, but when I come back, make some room for me."

Ivan eagerly grabbed at the comforter and burrowed himself into its depths again. As much as he tried, Matthew could not keep a straight face as he dug through his dresser drawers, and pulled funny expressions while his back was to his guest. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"Into the bathroom to get dressed for bed."

"You could get dressed in here."

"I could," Matthew tossed a coy smile to the face sticking out of the blankets and firmly shut his bedroom door behind himself. Once in the bathroom, he caught his movement in his side vision, and looked to his reflection in the mirror. He immediately looked away from his pinked cheeks, but instead of feeling embarrassed as he usually did, he felt happy.

 _I'm starting to really like this guy, super psycho demon or not._ Matthew whistled as he tugged his nightshirt close. "I must have really low standards in men." At least Ivan did not shoot blinding light out of his hands.

He returned to his bedroom with a giddy grin, but when he approached his bed, it seemed that Ivan was already headed to dreamland. Matthew squinted through the darkness and patted the bed to find that he was against the wall, leaving a decent space to wedge under the blankets and cozy up against him. Which of course, he did just that, and the body beside his rumbled with quiet laughter, spoiling that he was not truly asleep.

"What's so funny?"

"You, my Matthew."

Matthew pressed his face against the scarf that almost never seemed to leave Ivan's shoulders and tangled their legs together. _Finally...I can have this._

A hand drifted into his hair and lightly pulled through its waves. "Matthew, would you like to go to Hell again?"

"Hm? When?"

"When do you have another break?"

"Spring Break is coming up very soon. We might...oh, wait," Matthew pulled his head away to mash his eyebrows together through the darkness. "My dad's home for the time being. Last time we were able to sneak away because he left the next day. How will we do it this time?"

Ivan promised, "I will think of something. Is that a yes?"

"Definitely. I'll try not to jump out of any trees this time."

"Good, good..." Ivan craned his neck down to brush against Matthew's nightshirt. "Hm, silky pajamas."

"Oh, do you like them?" Matthew hoped so; they were his most expensive (and possibly most attractive) bed wear.

Ivan's chest vibrated against his palms, "There are a lot of things I like about you, Matthew."

"Oh! Really?"

Something brushed by Matthew's nose, and he felt warm breath against his neck. "What, you do not believe me? Or do you think that I have merely tolerated you for these pass months?"

"Maybe? Ha-ha, sorry, that was a stupid thing to say."

"Do _not_ say those things," Ivan said, and suddenly constricted his arms and legs around Matthew to crush him against himself. "You are beautiful and you are _mine._ "

 _Oh, no..._ Despite common sense trying to jut in, Matthew beamed from being nearly (and affectionately?) squished to death. "Okay," any air was squeezed out of him. "You're going to crush my ribs..."

Ivan immediately recoiled and rubbed the Matthew's arms in worry. "Ah, I have a little habit of doing that."

"A little?" Matthew uneasily chuckled when he reunited with oxygen. "I need my spine not to be broken to do stuff, Ivan."

"Yes, yes, I know. I get excited..."

Matthew planted a big, wet kiss on Ivan's lips. "Go to sleep already."


	30. Chapter 29

Living with Alfred meant being woken up in many, often ungodly ways. On that particular morning, a high pitched scream shot from downstairs and into Matthew's bedroom. Matthew's eyes cracked open, blurry and bleary, and he rasped, "What the Hell?"

His hand shot out, and patted his mattress, coming to with the realization that he was the only one still in it. It clicked that the scream and Ivan's absence may been unfortunately related. Although, it could be Alfred, too, with the notes that yell reached. With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself onto his feet, snatched his glasses from his nightstand, and went for the door.

The possibility of the screaming being Alfred was ruled out when he busted out of his room, also looking as if he just pulled himself out of bed. "You heard all that screeching, too? Was that Dad?"

"Let's go!"

There was no smoke or fire in the air as they clamored down the stairs, so a lot of possibilities were eliminated from that deduction. Alfred grabbed the railing, swinging down the last step, and into the kitchen while Matthew trudged a bit behind, fuming from being awoken so abruptly when he wanted to sleep in. Their father was standing on the other side of the island counter, hands cupped over his mouth as he stared wide eyed at Ivan's looming figure by the doorway. Francis sounded like he was trying to say something, but his stance wavered. " _Le Diable,_ " he sputtered, and fell onto the kitchen floor with a solid thump.

Alfred lunged past Ivan. "Dad!"

The demon snapped to face him, looking shocked as Matthew was. "I was just...ah..."

Matthew stomped after his brother, but whirled on Ivan to demand, "What do you think you're doing?!" His throat crackled with volume, "Why are you not disguised?" He shook his head, not waiting for answers as he rushed around the counter. "Dad! Dad!" Alfred lifted Francis' back from the floor, and Matthew knelt down to tap his cheeks, but Francis was unresponsive, his eyes shut and face pale. "At least there's no blood." He peeked over the counter. "Use that jewel thing before he wakes up again!"

"Why?" Ivan tipped his head. "He already saw me."

"Who's fault is that?" Matthew sprung to his feet as Alfred grunted to completely lift their father from the kitchen tiles. "What were you thinking?!"

Ivan swooped down and grabbed Francis' feet to help with the transport. He had not answered until Francis was gently set on the couch. Alfred hurried back into the kitchen for something. Fiddling with his clawed hands, he said, "Your father and I were talking about the future...our future, Matthew."

Matthew's eyebrows furrowed as he hovered closer. "What did you say?"

"I had told him of my interests to take you to where I live, where we both know, but I did not tell him that I live in Hell. We are not certain, of course. We only have planned to have quick visits so far. Francis kept going back to the subject that I persisted in avoiding. He has a way of prying information out of people, you see..." The demon smiled uneasily. "You know, Matthew, for an instance...just maybe...he would have been as accepting as you were of who I am...what I am. I have been with you for months now, and I have shared many fond conversations with the man. It is very sad to see him react in horror like that."

"Oh, Ivan," Matthew sighed, and glanced to his father's limp figure sprawled on the couch. "Okay, okay. Maybe we can talk to him about it when he wakes up. I'm sure he was just...a little taken back."

"A little..." Ivan echoed, and shook his head, stepping backwards. "No. No, I should have not...I should leave before he wakes up again." He turned, as if to walk out of the living room, but Matthew hustled over and grabbed his hand.

"No! Please! It's all right! We can get him to calm down and talk about it-"

Alfred entered the living room with a ice pack wrapped in a dishtowel and asked, "Are you sure about that? You guys did this neutralization thing so something like this wouldn't happen."

Ivan said, "What if your father-"

Francis twitched, surprising Alfred who had awkwardly pressed the wrap to his face, and snapped to a sitting position, eyes wide. "Dad!" Their father turned to the pair, and when he got a good look at the demon, he let out another unmanly shriek.

"...your father screams again."

Too late for that; Matthew spun to face his father scrambling off the couch. "Dad, chill!"

Francis latched onto his son's other hand, and ripped him away from Ivan. Matthew stumbled and crashed into his father who demanded, "Just what are you?! You stay away from my son! He is a good boy!"

"I know that!" Ivan began. He held out a palm and stepped toward them. "There is no reason to be alarmed-"

"Stay back!" Francis snapped, taking two steps for each one the demon took. "Stay over there, or else...I will call the police!"

Alfred tried holding out a hand to him, too. "Dad, I don't think you should call the cops on a demon."

Ivan backed away, hands up in a non-threatening gesture, and trying his best not to laugh at the drama. "I will stay over here if it makes you feel better...not that I have intentions in bringing harm to you or your family-"

"Then I will call an exorcist!"

"Stop," Matthew tried to pry his father's finger's from his shirt. "Just hear us out, okay?!"

"What?" Francis gasped, giving the boy a horrified look. "Us? You're with him?" He whipped his head to glare at Alfred. "You are not freaking out either. _Both_ of you know of this?!"

Alfred drew a breath between clenched teeth. "Fuck."

Matthew barked, "I've been with him for how long now?! That's the same Ivan that has been here ever since you came home!"

"He is a demon creature!"

"Just demon is fine," Ivan said.

"I saw those...things come out of him!"

"All I need is a trident now, yes?"

"Ivan, you are not helping matters," Matthew gave another yank when Francis still clung onto his nightshirt. "We're supposed to be getting my dad to breathe right again, not freak him out more!"

"How do I do that?!"

"Oh, _mon Dieu,"_ Francis stuck a hand to his forehead, while the other reached for the couch. "I need to sit down."

"Yeah," Alfred said, and guided him to the sofa with a vaguely frightened look to his brother.

Francis jabbed a finger at the demon. "You stay right there!" He spoke in a lesser tone to his son, "I need a glass of water."

"I'll get you that," Matthew offered before his brother could budge. "Stay put...all of you." He quickly left for the kitchen, and rubbed his face in irritation. "Jeez, what am I going to do?" When he returned with a cup of water, the room and its inhabitants were quiet. Francis was shooting daggers into Ivan, who stared at his feet, fumbling with his hands once more. Alfred looked like he was trying to not snicker out of habit, but something in his eyes told his brother that he was worrying, too.

"Did you know?" Francis asked, taking the glass without thanks. "Did you know the whole time, that your...friend...was... _this?_ "

Matthew quietly replied, "I have known since the moment I met him."

"Is this some kind of contract?" Francis sputtered before Alfred put in anything when he opened his mouth, "Are you going to take my boy's soul after a set amount of time?"

"Contract?" Ivan looked up, confused. "Why would there be a contract? Matthew's life is his own, and I will stay by him no matter what he choses to do with it."

Francis weakly protested, "You are a demon!"

"Thank you for clarifying that."

"From Hell?! With the screaming and eternal torture by pitchforks and flames?!"

"Papa, he doesn't like it when people say that."

Ivan announced, "Now I know where you got all those ideas from, Matthew!"

Francis turned and looked up at his son. "You are all right with this?!"

"Since he has been here for at least several weeks, and I already know that he is a demon..." Matthew glanced to the ceiling for answers. "I would say yes."

His dad sputtered, cupping his face with a hand as he shook his head, "What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Matthew knelt beside Francis' legs to urge, "I'm not running around knocking up girls or getting arrested or doing drugs!"

Alfred goaded, "Neither am I!"

Francis glared up at him. "How long have _you_ known about this?!"

Suddenly, Alfred was very quiet. "Um...a while."

Ivan coaxed the man, "You have not done anything wrong, Mister Francis."

Francis snapped up his head, eyes wide and watery. "I said to stay over there!"

"Oopsies," the demon stepped back. "Matthew is not in the wrong for showing me kindness, especially when that is hard to come by for...someone like me. Just for being born the way I am does not justify the way your people and yourself scream in my true face."

Francis wheezed and sobbed with dead laughter. "Are you trying to make me feel bad?"

"I could easily turn that question around and victimize myself, sir, but I will not because I try not to be a bad demon."

Matthew patted his father's knee. "Yeah, Dad."

Francis studied the carpet for a few self soothing breaths. "So, you do not plan on eating my son, or consuming his soul?"

"That would most likely hurt my stomachs, so no, I will not eat your son." Ivan snickered at Francis' stare of horror. "I mean, I am certain we would both be sad if I ate him."

"Why are you here on Earth?"

"I was born from my mother's womb, just as you and your son were." The demon exchanged a strained glance with Matthew. "Before you start asking questions, no, there are no eternal damnation, humans cannot get there without wings, and we actually have water below the surface, too."

Matthew stuck his tongue out. "Warm water, yuck."

His father performed a double take. "You would know that?"

"Um...I been there before. I was curious..."

"What?!" Francis shot to his feet, water sloshing, and whirled on the demon. "You took my baby to Hell?!"

"He is walking perfectly fine, is he not?"

"I'm not the baby," Matthew grumbled, rising to stand as well. Alfred blew a raspberry.

"What if something ate 'im?!"

Ivan said, "I would not let that happen."

"What if it did?!" Francis expressed copious amounts of disgust and stammered, "I-I could just...I could just throw this water on you!"

Ivan seemed mildly impressed (or perhaps amused) by that.

"Dad!" Matthew clamped a hand onto Francis' shoulder. "You said yourself Ivan was protective! Not only would he make sure I would not get eaten, which I remind you, I am a little too big for creatures of Hell to swallow whole, but I would make sure nothing would eat me, either!"

"You said that about me? How kind!"

"That was before!"

"Before what?" Matthew seethed. "Before you found out Ivan was a demon? Because that suddenly changes everything you knew about him?!"

Ivan narrowed his eyes, and Francis turned away from him and shuddered. "His gaze makes my blood run cold."

"As if it didn't before?" Matthew asked, stepping in front of his father so he would have no choice but to look up at him.

"I...this is a lot to take in," Francis admitted. He glanced back to Ivan studying the ceiling. "An actual demon?"

"They're a bit different than the myths...at least now they are. Well, I'm sure there are 'evil' ones out there," Matthew did finger quotes in the air, "but it's the same with people. He's not the bad guy, Papa."

"I am not the bad guy, Matthew's papa," Ivan's voice was light behind them. Francis tensed and slowly faced him. The demon smiled cheekily. "I try not to be, at least, although it can be a little fun."

Francis opened his mouth, but nothing audible came out. He clamped his jaw, and cleared his throat before attempting a reply again. "I suppose you do...and I suppose you will take my son somewhere I will not see anymore?"

"No, no. We can visit whenever Matthew wants."

"Okay," Francis meekly nodded, turning for the couch. "Need to sit," he said again, and shakily set his half glass of water on the coffee table.

Alfred held out the ice pack. "Do you still need this?"

"Ah, no, no, you can put that back into the freezer." Alfred left for the kitchen, and Francis took a deep, shaky breath. "It is much more than I would like to take in, but it is only natural for children to go on with their own lives."

Matthew slowly moved to the other side of the living room as his father rambled under his breath so he would not provoke him. He clasped onto Ivan's hand and pressed against his arm. "I think he's going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine...but for the love of maple, tell me if you plan on doing something like that _before_ you do it!"

Francis picked up his head, and watched Ivan shrink away from his son like a scolded puppy and rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks turned pink. "He was the scary one with all the screaming."

A snap of light erupted from the other side of the demon. "Oi!" A new figure spat, giving Ivan a rude shove, but he did not budge. "You better have a good reason to why you are in your true form!"

Ivan stepped away from Arthur as if he had made things awkward. "You yell and manhandle me now, after how much time passed?"

"W-well I was busy and had not noticed!" The angel huffed, his gaze flickering to the man on the couch, gawking with wide eyes and hands clamped on the sofa's material. He performed a double take. "Francis?!"

"Let me guess...an angel?"

"Yes...how observant of you."

"Hah!" Francis tossed his hands in the air. "So both of my boys are running around with strange creatures!"

Matthew said, "Things _were_ going fine."

Alfred squawked from the doorway, "Arthur?! What are you doing here?"

"Demon business, again, of course!" Arthur turned to scowl at Francis. "Strange creatures?! How rude!"

Francis cupped his palms over his face, and fell onto the side of the couch dramatically, sobbing melancholy phrases in French.

"Look!" Ivan gestured. "You made him cry!"

"If anything, it is the ungodly sight of you that causes tears," Arthur bit back. "What are you doing, showing yourself to humans who do not need to know of our existence?!"

"He is the boys' father. It would be rude to take in his sons without a word of our plans together."

Arthur glared at the demon for a tense moment, before resigning to a docile tone with a sigh. "As much as it stings me to agree, I must. It would be rather awful to take Matthew away without warning. There would be police searches and everything."

Ivan glanced at Francis sniffling into the couch, now being comforted by his sons. "There is always visits available. I am certain Francis will like us to do that."

"Yes, and with that, the twins would not be separated forever." The 'strange creatures' exchanged a mildly impressed look at their agreement. Arthur quickly added, "That is something Alfred would claim, anyway."

"Huh? You said my name?"

The angel's cheeks pinked, "No...nothing. Never mind."

Matthew tried to console his father, "Papa, just think of it this way; I'm not going to be knocking up a random girl!"

Francis cried harder. "Get me some tissues!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Are you sure you want to go there? Why not go to the beach, or ski up in the mountains?!"

"Yes, we are both sure," Matthew told his father, snatching a few trinkets he forgotten, and stuffed them in his bag. "Dad, come on, I told you everything will be all right. Just think of it as an extended sleepover. I will be back before Spring break ends."

"Other kids sneak off to bars and 'otel rooms for their Spring breaks!"

"Those are other kids," Matthew lightly tossed back, and roughly tugged on his book bag's zipper. Somebody had to break it to Francis of his and Ivan's 'vacation' plans sooner than later by the following weekend. That made up for a frigid conversation over dinner one night. "I am not sneaking away anyway. You already know where I am going."

"Do I really know?"

"You have a basic idea where I will be going."

Francis moved to stand in the middle of the doorway before his son could leave the room. "I am uncomfortable knowing you will be staying in Hell, of all places, as if it were a normal sleepover!"

"I know it makes you uncomfortable. You said that four times now," Matthew said. His father's expression only grew more concerned. He sighed, "Papa, don't keep me here."

"Do you want to leave so badly?"

"It is not forever."

"What if something 'appens that you never return?!"

"Dad, stop!" Matthew's voice grew sharp as he held up his hands. "You will only make matters worse saying those things, and will give yourself an unnecessary headache. This is what I want. What both Ivan and I want. So please...let me pass."

"I 'ave no choice in the end, _oui?_ " Francis scoffed, the sound poorly disguising another melodramatic sob. "I knew it was only a matter of time before _l'amour_ steals you away from me! Oh, it is just like in the movies!"

"Oh-kay," Matthew said, pushing by his father tossing an arm over his eyes. "I'm going now Dad. I _will_ be back."

"Wait! Let me hug my baby before you go!"

Matthew tried not to groan, overwhelmed by the wet kisses his father plastered over his cheeks and sides of his head. "Yes, I love you, too. I'll see you later." He wiggled from the pats and embraces that threatened to never let him go, and streaked down the hall and stairs as fast as he could without slipping and falling. Francis hurried after him, stopping to watch from the top of the steps.

"Matthew!" A light voice rang out as soon as the door was opened. Ivan came forth to put an arm around his son's waist and exchanged a quick kiss with him. He glanced up in curiosity at the presence on the stair case, but was soon ushered away with a low "Come on, let's go!" from Matthew.

The door shut, and Francis put a hand over his chest, clutching onto the stair's railing so he would not lose his balance. "Oh, please be 'appy with your decisions."

* * *

 _Blehps:_

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Matthew knelt beside Francis' legs to urge, "I'm not running around knocking up girls or getting arrested or doing drugs!"

Alfred goaded, "Neither am I!"

Francis glared up at him. "How long have _you_ known about this?!"

Suddenly, Alfred was very quiet. "Um...since chapter 14."


	31. Mamma Mia! That's a Spicy Matthew!

"You seemed to be in a hurry to leave your house."

"Ugh, that's because I was. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad, but sometimes, he can be a bit dramatic."

"A bit," Ivan agreed, gripping the undersides of Matthew's legs to adjust his weight as he carried him on his back through the town's sewers. "I am glad you agreed to return to my home after you broke your foot."

"I didn't break my foot, I only sprained my ankle!"

"Well, let us not do that again."

Matthew bubbled with laughter. "Yeah, let's. I mean, let's _not_ sprain any ankles." The pair was quiet besides Ivan's feet sloshing through the murky liquid and his ragged breathing. "Am I too heavy?"

"Do not worry about it."

"But I have the book bag on and everything-"

"What kind of man, let alone demon, would I be if I could not carry my beloved through these disgusting waters? No, you stay there, right where you are until we get to the rift."

"Um, okay," Matthew buried his face into the scarf wrapped around Ivan's neck. _Beloved. Ahh! I want to scream, it's so cheesy and wonderful at the same time._ "Is that far from here?"

"Do you forget our previous trip already?"

"It was only one time, and it's dark. I can't see anything."

"You do not need to. As long as you can hear the water go sploosh-sploosh, you are headed in the right direction." Ivan took a deep breath, as much as he could with his luggage. "It is stinky here. Would you mind if we hurry along a bit more?"

"Uh oh...what do you mean by that?"

"I can see much better in the dark when in my true form, and I can use the shadows to speed us along."

"Oh, okay, cool." Matthew shrugged. "I wouldn't mind at all."

"There needs to be some adjustments in your position, then. I must carry you in my arms. My wings would get in the way."

"Yeah, like I said, I don't mind. I'm sick of smelling crap...literally."

Ivan set Matthew on one of walkway platforms on each side of the tunnel, and peeled off his long coat. "Hold this, please. I need a moment."

Blindly reaching out until he grabbed a handful of soft fabric, Matthew curved the coat over his arms before it could drag in the water. There were no sources of light between them, so he could not see what have happened to his company, and why he had become so quiet. "Ivan?"

"Ah, do not be startled, Matthew-" Ivan's words were interrupted by a startled wail. "Oh, there's... _it hurts_! Damned angels!" A sharp tearing sound. "There goes my nice sweater, too." His giggle died for disbelief. "Wait..."

"Hey," Matthew reached out and groped a large wing. "Is everything okay?"

Something plunked into the water, and Ivan whispered, "Uh oh..."

"What happened?!"

"My thing fell out again."

"What do you mean it fell out?! And again?!"

"I mean that it fell out! What else could it mean?!" Ivan shifted to snatch the large jewel before it would float away. "It happened when I...showed your father myself, but there were other things happening at the time..."

Matthew patted around until he was standing in front of the demon. "Is it broken?"

"I do not think so..."

His fingertips crept against Ivan's sweater until he brushed against the spot where the jewel was embedded. It was wide, but thin and strong, so it left behind a long score stretched across Ivan's left breast from its absence. "Can you just...pop it back in?"

There was a rustle of fabric, and a little grunt as Ivan stuck the gem back into place. "Hm, yes, I should... _agh!_ "

"Ivan?!"

"Oof, that brings me back to the snowy field again, but at least it did not last as long."

Matthew groped around again, and the back of Ivan's over shirt had long slits running down his back, but with no extremities. "Oh, it worked. Weird." He placed his other hand over the jewel. "I wish it didn't hurt that much, though."

Ivan set his forehead against his and let out a happy sigh. "Me too. We should continue, yes?"

"Um, yeah, if you're ready."

He pulled away to wince and quiver again. "I need a moment... _ah!_ Wow, that is painful."

"I'm sorry."

"You do not hurt me. Do not apologize. Ha, I caught it before it fell again!"

"It's my fault you have to do this."

"Are you really at fault when I do not mind the outcome?" More cloth rustling, then two hot palms clamped over Matthew's cheeks. "Do not blame yourself. I will not listen, okay?"

Matthew clenched his jaw, but lost to surprise as the warmth shifted from his face to arms grabbing his waist and lifting him from the sewer walkway. He squeezed his eyes shut, and clutched the large coat he was carrying for reassurance as the demon glided through the rest of the tunnels. He figured angels, with their feathers and the wind, would smoothly glide, but it seemed the darkness cradled and carried them silently through the tunnels. That, or he simply grown to admire this demon over any angel.

The next time Ivan's feet landed, they set on solid, dirt covered ground. Peeks of light shone through a pile of boulders, signaling the end of the lengthy journey. "Ah, home, I can smell it even from here."

Once Matthew was put down, too, so Ivan could go to work shifting and moving the rocks, he tried to take a few whiffs, only to recoil when he caught a deep breath of the sewers. He would have to wait until he was in Hell in order to smell it, debatable whether that was a good thing or not. He pushed away some rocks, too, and the chasm filled with ebbing light from the fires below. He blinked in adjustment from the darkness and took a step forward to peer down into the opening, which was a large expanse of angry, red-orange seas that smacked his face with swelling currents of heat. "Here we go again..."

Ivan was beside him, looking at the lava as well. "Are you ready?"

Matthew glanced up, eying his outline through the dim brightness. A large hand was hovering for him to hold. Without a word, he pressed closer, and reached up to hook his coat-free arm behind Ivan's neck as he was lifted from the ground once more.

"Nervous?"

"What makes you say that?"

"The way you are bunching up my shirt."

"Just drop down already."

"If you say so!" Ivan did not wait to finish his own sentence when he stepped off of the ledge, letting the both of them plunge toward the fiery pits below. "Ha-ha, wee!"

Matthew could not manage to say anything, out of enjoyment or terror. He would have lost his dinner if he did not hold his breath and shove his face into Ivan's scarf from the jostling of flight. Just like last time, Ivan set him on the expanse of rocks and had to pry his fingers away from his shirt once they touched solid ground.

"You handle it well," Ivan granted a pat to the head before urging Matthew toward the dark building on the other side of bridge.

"What, plunging more than fifty feet toward a huge lake of lava without screaming? Yeah," Matthew swiped the back of his hand across his forehead, "I think so, too. Wait, I have to take off my hoodie."

"Is the heat getting to you already?" Ivan's voice was heavily underlined with laughter.

"Let's keep going," Matthew suggested, awkwardly shifting both of their overcoats in his arms.

They approached the triple paneled doors to the bulky building, but before either of them could touch the doors, they swung open from the inside. "Brother!" Irunya cried in joy. She looked over at his company and gasped, "And little Matvey! You're back!"

"Um, yeah," Matthew flinched when the she-demon threw her arms around him after her brother, kindly forcing them into an embrace. _How the Hell did she know we were coming?_ He glanced up to the many windows dotting the building. _And did she just call me little?!_

Still, Matthew gave a friendly smile when Irunya released him, allowing stale air back into his lungs. "You're walking on two feet again! Wow, humans must heal fast!"

Ivan said, "No, angels heal fast." His sister looked at him in confusion, but he shook his head. "A lot happened in our absence; too much to tell now. We should go inside. The heat is getting to Matthew."

Irunya tossed the teen a sympathetic look. "Oh, I know. He must be used to those horrible, frigid temperatures, with all that ice!"

"It's not so bad," Matthew mumbled, but she was already headed inside the main entrance.

Ivan latched onto his elbow, urging him to follow. "Where is Natalia?"

"I think she is resting at the moment. Oh, she will be so happy when she finds out you returned!"

Matthew raised his eyebrows. _Usually, happiness implies smiles, but Natalia smiling?_ "What are we going to do first once we get settled in?"

Ivan's eyes jumped to the carvings of vines and flowers climbing the entrance hall's pillars. "It will be a surprise."

"Everything is a surprise, isn't it?" Matthew asked, but not in a harsh manner.

Irunya sighed in feign worry. "That means he does not know yet."

Ivan's cheeks blossomed pink, insisting, "No, no, it is a surprise."

"Oh, Vanya, do not take it to heart. I know you do," Irunya glanced to Matthew and asked, "Do you plan on staying for a longer time than the last? It was cut off too soon. You hardly had a taste of what Hell has to offer!"

"I plan on spending my entire Spring Break here, which is about a week."

"Spring...Break?" Irunya's light voice bounced up the stairs as they ascended to the upper floor. "Is a week a long increment of time?"

"It's..." Matthew scrunched up his face, unsure how to explain time to someone that does not live with its guide. "It mounts up to about seven sleeps. Like, if you go to bed and wake up seven times later, that is a week."

Irunya hummed in thought as her brother smiled through the ordeal. "That is not _that_ long."

"It is enough to get things done," Ivan said, pausing beside his bedroom door. "Now, Irunya, if you do not mind, I would like to get settled," he glanced at his partner breaking into a great yawn. "I am certain Matthew does, too."

The she-demon widened her eyes, lightly gasping. "Oh, that is right! You two must have had a long journey. We can talk when you awaken, yes?" She gave her brother a quick hug, who did not budge this time, and she smiled, waving at Matthew. "You, too Matvey. Take care."

"Mat...vee?" Matthew echoed as Iruyna hurried down the steps.

"Irunya and her 'Nick' names." Ivan grinned ear to ear, revealing his sharp incisors. "Sort of like your brother."

Matthew eyed him apprehensively. "Alfred gives me enough nicknames as is."

"I do not think 'bro' and 'dude' are suitable terms of endearment."

"Can you say that again?"

Ivan tipped his head. "What, 'bro' and 'dude' not being endearing names?" Matthew began to giggle madly, much to his confusion. "Unless you like being called those?"

"No, no, I'm just being silly," Matthew shrugged it off, and opened the door to the master bedroom.

"Oh, of course," Ivan stared after him. "Why did I not expect that?"

"Um, can you stay out there for a bit? I'm going to get dressed for bed."

With a heavy sigh, Ivan closed the door, and propped against the wall. Matthew snickered at his dramatic turmoil, and tossed a sweet "Thanks, dearest" over his shoulder. After peeling off most of his winter gear and stuffing them into his bag, he announced, "You can come in now. I'm decent."

An embarrassing noise of glee slipped from the other side of the door, followed by Ivan roughly clearing his throat. The slowly opened, and he said, "You are decent, at worst." His eyes immediately jumped to the bed, to Matthew sitting in the middle of the enormous mattress. He noted the plain tee shirt and boxers. "No silky pajamas?"

Matthew drew a finger beneath his shirt collar. "They're in my bag, but it's too hot for them right now." His face scrunched up. "It's going to be like this the whole time, isn't it?"

"It is Hell," Ivan pointed out, nearing the bed, and frowned as Matthew flapped a hand to his flushed face.

"I feel like it's hotter in here than it is outside. You wouldn't happen to have air conditioners or fans on hand would you?"

Ivan tore his gaze from Matthew's underwear. "Leg pulling?"

"Yeah, you got me."

"I can bring someone in here to wave a cloth fan on you," Ivan suggested. "Kings and queens have it done, do they not?"

Matthew flinched away from the prospect of that obnoxious treatment. "No...that'd be kind of weird having somebody standing there the whole time, and they would hurt their hands."

"You think about others, even when you are suffering." Ivan shook his head like he did not understand. After shedding his footwear, he crawled toward the center of the bed and settled on his side, gazing at Matthew running a hand through his hair. "Are you certain you are not an angel?"

"What? I'm sorry, that question just took me by surprise, coming from a demon and all."

"So you are not here, bent on destroying my existence?"

"Nope, none of the sorts," Matthew smiled. "I'm just an ordinary human."

"Ordinary?" Ivan snorted. "Why do you talk down on yourself like that? Do not apologize about it, either." He sat up and scooted closer to be at eye level to Matthew when he only received a meek shrug. "Did someone put that in your head? Have you always acted so blind?"

"I wear glasses for a reason," Matthew dryly commented, staring down the covers bunched up between his fingers as his bedmate let out a pained noise at his humor. He shook his head, peeled off his glasses, and turned to lie down, avoiding the sharp eyes burning into his. He asked, face muffled by a pillow, "Can we not talk about this please?"

A low growl drifted into the air. Matthew's eyes snapped open when Ivan dove over him, and flopped onto his side so they were face-to-face. His vision was blurry, but he could see his company rest his head on the same pillow, still staring. "You are beautiful."

Matthew squinted at the looming shape before quickly flipping over. The cool, untouched part of the pillow welcomed his pinked cheek, but the mattress dipped behind him, and sprung up as Ivan scrambled to the other side. "Chill out," he quietly warned, making a move to turn away again, but was stumped by a hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"You do the chilling," Ivan told him, "Beautiful. See, see! Ah, you are smiling! Now you 'get' it!"

"Be quiet," Matthew grumbled against his palms.

"I will not," the demon said, prying his hands away into his own to replace Matthew's face with his lips.

"Hey, hey! Come on, it's too hot," Matthew wriggled away, as much as he could with his hands still in Ivan's possession. "You can keep talking if you want, but it's just too damn hot to do anything else. I'm sorry-"

"No, no, you are right," Ivan let go one of his hands to wedge a palm beneath his own face. "I thought that my home seemed hotter because I was becoming familiar with the surface's temperature, but this is much warmer than it should be."

"That sounds...concerning."

"Yes, it is. The vents should be filtering cool air into this place. Instead it feels stagnant." Ivan suddenly sat up, taking a few whiffs. "Hm, something smells...odd." He stood up on his bed, and reached up to the slits in the ceiling above the frame.

"Is anything coming through?"

"No, nothing. Nothing!" The demon plopped down onto the mattress with a great huff, staring at the vents with his jaw set in a puzzled expression. "The winds are supposed to blow in from the mountains, and enter through the pipes. Cold air runs downwards, and filters into the room," he quickly explained. "That is not happening."

"You would not know any plumbers, would you?"

Ivan was silent for a few moments before a wicked smile cracked along his face. "No, but I know someone small enough to fit into the pipes and investigate."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"I will be back before you sleep again." Ivan paced around his bedroom after they awoken from an uncomfortable sleep, tidying anything out of place to busy himself from watching the curtains around his bed, and trying to sneakily see pass them (which he could not; the cloth was too dark) where Matthew opted for more heat suitable clothes. As much as it pained him to stuff his favorite hoodie into his back pack, he said his goodbyes, and zipped up the bag. His face popped out of the dark curtains with a glaze of sweat blanketing his forehead. "Ah, are you finished?"

Matthew only nodded, and slid out of the bed and onto the floor. The soles of his feet stuck to the hard floors, much to his groans of displeasure, when he went for his shoes. "Ick, it is so grossly hot." He took heavy sniffs and curled his nose. "It kinda smells like something is overcooked, too."

"Then come downstairs," Ivan ushered him out of the room with a hand on his lower back. "It is cooler outside, where you should stay in the meanwhile. My sisters will look after you."

"Both of them?" Matthew muttered under his breath, too low for Ivan to hear with his feet clanking down the stairs. "Even though I can look after myself?"

"Stay close to the building. Do not wander unless one of them accompany you." Ivan stepped away from the railing to make room for Matthew to step down. He pulled off his scarf and snagged it around Matthew's throat before he could walk away too far, shortly laughing at his gasp of surprise. "This is in case Matvey gets lonely in my absence, yes?"

"It's a warning to anyone that you will rip their throats out if they try to eat me."

A loud burst of laughter escaped the demon, and one of his hands snuck around Matthew's. "Both are true!"

Natalia was sitting cross legged on a planked bench between the main entrance's grand pillars. She slowly waved a dark furred fan in her face, and her moody eyes flickered to the approaching figures before she pushed to her feet. All of them looked miserable, sweaty, and tired. She stared at her brother's hand conjoined with the human's, and then to his face with a strong furrow of her platinum eyebrows. "Brother."

Ivan stopped and tilted his head to the side in question. "Natalia, have you noticed the extreme heat present in the house, too?"

"I am sitting by the open doors in hopes of catching a rare breeze, waving a fan in front of my face. What do you think? Are you going to do something about it?"

Ivan looked at the floors, hiding from her fierce gaze. "I think something may be stuck in the vents. I am fetching someone to investigate."

Natalia made a noncommittal noise, releasing her stare on the pair to glance over her shoulder.

"I would greatly appreciate if you could see to Matthew's safety," her brother's voice was wavering. "I will be gone for a considerable amount of time, and would not like it if he is alone for the duration."

"What, you want me to look after your pet?" The she-demon sneered. Matthew blinked several times.

Ivan clenched his jaw, still not looking at her. "No, I want you to treat him like he is a part of the family. Be civil about this, Natalia."

She sighed heavily, waving the fan quicker when her brother leaned forward to lightly tap his cheek to hers. "Hurry then."

"Be careful," Matthew quietly countered her without intention of doing so. Natalia narrowed her eyes.

"Stay cool," Ivan murmured, pressing his lips to Matthew's forehead. He did not linger; it was too hot, and he had things to do. Those left behind stared at his quick departure.

* * *

 _Blehps:_

"Stay cool."

Matthew donned a pair of awesome shades. "I already am."

Ivan pointed finger guns at him, suddenly wearing his own sunglasses.


	32. Chapter 31

Matthew was left with the younger she-demon. He knew she was glaring at him by the sharp coldness against his back before he even turned to face her. He lightly cleared his throat before asking, "Would you mind if I sat next to you?"

"I would," Natalia replied as her hand relentlessly waved her fan.

He did not bother saying anything else to that, opting for the other bench against the adjacent wall. She only sat down when he settled. The floor's imperfections entertained his eyes for a bit until they found themselves on the she-demon again. "Um, do you have more of those fans?"

"No, it is mine."

Matthew sighed, leaning back on the wall. He closed his eyes, removing his glasses to swipe his hand across his face, and curled his nose at the perspiration gathered on his skin. "Jeez, when they say, 'Hot as Hell,' they're not kidding." Natalia kept staring with that blank, half lidded look. He clamped his mouth shut, vowing to never become a comedian. _I tried._

"Why are you here?"

He straightened, shocked that Natalia actually spoke to him. "Your brother brought me here."

"Why?" She asked in a more growling tone.

"Uh...because I wanted to?" Matthew said, unsure what she wanted to hear. Her glare only intensified. "I showed Ivan around where I live. We figured it would be great if it went both ways."

"You do not belong here. You do not possess wings, or the hot blood to withstand this heat," Natalia pointed out, cruelly, but truthfully.

"I can handle it," Matthew assured with an uneasy smile, and his hands stretched and clenched from his sweaty palms. He was starting to miss the prickles of cold against his cheeks. "Humans can live in really extreme conditions. There are some tribes that thrive in the artic winters, where the sun is covered by storms of snow, while others hunt in the rain forest by the hottest part of the Earth, where the sunlight is at its most...striking..." he trailed off, and quickly adverted his eyes away from hers as they stared, looking unamused. "Demons are affected by the heat, too."

"Yet you are cooking."

"I can feel that," Matthew lightly shot back and shifted around on the bench. "Do you know where Irunya is?" Perhaps his wait would be more pleasant in the company of the other sister.

"Hunting. She will be back soon. Maybe she could watch over you, then."

"Yeah, maybe," Matthew looked away from Natalia, frowning at the closest pillar. His stomach growled loudly, and he slapped a hand over his shirt, as if that could muffle the noise. _I need to hunt, too,_ he thought jokingly to himself, not daring to voice his humor aloud. "Has she been gone long?"

Natalia sniffed, and her eyes darted to the entrance. A large shadow descended before the opening, and a loud flap announced her sister's return. Irunya landed on the soft ground in front of the doors, and her boots scuffled on the chipped tiles as she approached the hall. "I am back!" She announced cheerfully. "Oh, it is so much nicer outside! I thought I would never say that!"

"Then I am going to hunt, too." Natalia shot to her feet, and when she breezed by her sister, she hissed, "He is getting hungry. I do not know what to do with him."

"Huh?" Irunya watched Natalia's departure, bewildered. She turned to Matthew who was staring after Natalia, too. "Where is Ivan?"

"He went to get somebody. We think there's something lodged inside the vents, and apparently, he knows this person who can get inside to investigate."

Irunya's eyes widened as she clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh no, if it is who I think...ah, well, at least we will be cool soon."

Another grumble came from Matthew's stomach. He looked up, biting his lower lip. "You wouldn't know where I could get something to eat, would you? I can't hunt, either."

"Let me get something from my bed chambers, first, and I will take you where you need to go." Irunya motioned for the boy to stay seated, and hurried out of the corridor.

Matthew groaned, wrapping his arms around his waist, and wreathed on the seat. He leaned his head against the wall, realizing it was cool against his cheek. Irunya returned to find him trying to hug the wall. He jerked away at the sound of her footsteps skirting to a halt and pushed up his askew glasses. "The wall was cold."

Irunya giggled, adjusting her grip on a leather sack latched onto her collar. "I do not blame you! That scarf looks heavy. Would you like to leave it here?"

"Tempting, but let's not."

"Oh, yes, that was not a good suggestion. Let us get something in your tummy now before you start eating your fingers."

"I'm not _that_ hungry," Matthew mumbled, following the she-demon out of the building. It was still hot (as Hell) outside, but it was noticeably easier to breathe away from the stuffy house. She hummed as she bounded forward, taking a path into the forest that ran along her home and into the distant mountains. "So where are we going? If you don't mind me asking..."

"I do not! There is a line of all sorts of salesmen and women just on the other side of the forest. Hunting can be consuming and tiring, and sometimes it is nice to simply browse around the market."

"A market? Do you have a form of currency?"

Irunya put a finger to her lips, smiling. "Humans have something right." When Matthew's foot caught on a loose rock, he quickened his pace and tried to ignore his embarrassment. "There are several ores that are taken and bent into little bits of coins. You can use those to buy things, or you could always barter the old fashion way, which is what most of us do."

"How do you get those coins? Do you have jobs and earn them?"

"That is one way. You could always steal them, or make your own." Irunya tossed a worried look over her shoulder. "I did not get these that way, though!"

Matthew glanced down to step over another root, laughing. "I wouldn't think you'd do that."

"It's too long and difficult of a process to smith coins, anyway," Irunya swished a neatly clawed hand. "Also, it is sometimes more interesting and fun to haggle." The teen tripped again, this time on a root the same color as the soil. She put a hand to her chest. "Do you need me to carry you? I would not want you to hurt your foot again."

"Um, no, I'm, thanks," Matthew smiled in cheap reassurance. He did not doubt Irunya _could_ carry him, but it would be too wounding for her to sling him over her shoulders like he was nothing. "It's just that the ground is more squishier than I am used to. The soil is like, really soft."

"Around here it is," the she-demon commented, eying his sneakers catch another, smaller twig. "We live in a good environment. There are water pools to drink, and trees, and the mountains bring in rain at decent times."

He lightheartedly bantered, "Oh, so Hell isn't that all pleasant as I am experiencing?"

"No. It can get very hot, especially the lower you go."

"It must be closer to the center of the Earth," Matthew told her. "It's way more hotter at the planet's core. It's all mostly molten lava."

Irunya drew a hand pass her eye, probably not understanding half of what he just rambled. "I just feel so bad for those who live there. It is so crowded and there are despicable conditions."

"Hey, Hell seems massive. Why don't they live in more suitable regions like this?"

"The fertile lands have already been claimed. High families chase any possible invaders away, and many demons live far from each other. It is much safer that way, and there is less conflict."

Matthew's eyebrows furrowed. "It just seems so lonely at times."

"It is," Irunya sniffled more noticeably this time. "You know, during our parents' parents' time, it was not like that for the most part. Lords used to rule the land as they do now, but to a much greater extent. They had many subordinates living in packs close to their homes."

Matthew stared at her, eyes wide behind his glasses. "What happened?"

"Power always makes one blind and hungry, and many altercations broke out between the lords. At least it solved itself!"

"Really? How?" Matthew was not sure he should have asked, but he did anyway.

"They all killed each other!" Irunya announced cheerfully. "They got themselves into that mess, and now more than half of the population is dead because of it."

"Okay," Matthew wheezed, tugging on his shirt sticking to his chest.

"There are still large tracts in possession of remaining lords, but it is not nearly as disputed as it was. There are way fewer demons alive to fight for it, and the ones that survived are bunched toward the poor regions and stayed there out of fear for something like that happening again."

"They rather live in hoards rather than running around on free land?

Irunya's bright expression morphed into one of concern. "Watch out, there's another root."

"Huh? Oh, thanks."

She nodded, taking a deep breath, and slowed her pace. "Not exactly free land. Remember, much of the healthy land is already claimed by richer families. Sometimes, those families have others living around their land for protection or to serve them, and in turn, they can hunt and thrive off the land."

"That actually sounds pretty nifty."

"Sometimes." Irunya trailed off to leap around a fallen tree trunk. She turned around and held out a hand, but Matthew did not need it. He did not fall or trip...this time. "However, you are putting trust in another demon's claws if you chose to do that. Some say it is not worth giving up your freedom."

"What do you mean? They get to eat and drink good water."

"W-well, yes, but those tales humans have about us have some truth to them. Some lords succumb to great desires, and use their power to enslave or steal many others from their own lives. It happened too often, so it would be greatly difficult to..." Irunya roughly swallowed. "It would be hard to fill that emptiness again." Matthew opened his mouth, but she let out a lousy peel of laughter. "Oh, we are much aware of it now. If a lord's horns were becoming to heavy for his own good, then the other ones nearby would pay a visit to put him back into place. There are many more cautious measures to take so a massacre would not happen again. I hope everyone has learned from their mistakes."

Irunya slowed, and blinked in surprise. "Was I rambling?"

Matthew admitted, "A little. Don't worry! I was listening to everything you said!"

"Oh, good, good." They resumed their quick pace, though Matthew did with an internal groan from all the walking in the heat.

"So, is that the reason you guys have such big lands to yourselves?"

Irunya kept her eyes forward. "Our lands were much more abundant and lively when the parents of our parents ruled. Everyone had something to eat, everyone shared and wandered anywhere they pleased, even into other demons' houses, without having to look over their shoulder."

"And then that massacre?"

"Yes, eventually. It was becoming crowded, inside our own land and everyone else's. During our parents' reign, it is said that it was a little worrisome, but everyone still got by...until some ill contented demons took advantage of everyone's trust and began working from the inside out to take our family down. There were plots to steal power and overthrow the surrounding lords, even by the other lords themselves, disguising themselves as simple servants. Of course, there were demons that were loyal to our parents, and they would not let this go on without repercussions."

Matthew guessed, "Then it escalated from there?"

"Yes. They were hardly home while Vanya and I were children. I took responsibility to look after him, but sometimes...there were things that even I could not look out for."

"What about Natalia?"

"She came a while after. I have reasons to believe that my parents did not plan, or even want to have another child, but I was there to take care of her, too."

"Oh, Irunya..."

"I am fine," Irunya claimed, but she wiped at her eye, possibly countering her words. "I know it was impossible for me to be everywhere and do everything at once _and_ look after myself, so I woven that scarf you have around your neck, so Vanya knows that some way, I am around. Natalia often wears a headband in her hair that I made her, too."

Despite the clammy sheen of sweat on his face, Matthew smiled, and put a hand on the scarf he was wearing. Just like a sap, he internally mused, _I love happy endings._

However, Irunya was not finished, and many branchless trees stretched ahead of them. "In the end, I was also a child. Everyone was worrying about what was happening around the land, that nothing else was as important. Our parents eagerly left us with anybody who offered to look after us while they went out to fight. I...their intentions were good, and I know they had other, more pressing matters to worry about, but..."

"Irunya? Do you want to stop a bit?"

"Oh! Your face is all pink, poor thing! Yes, we should take a break. There's a fallen tree nearby that we can rest on."

"I didn't know how long the walk was going to be."

Irunya settled on the black bark much more quietly and gracefully than Matthew did. "I offered to fly you there. It would go much more quickly."

Matthew lied, "Uh...flying kind of makes me sick. I was just wondering if you wanted to stop because...well, it seemed like you needed it."

"Does it?" Irunya touched her cheek again, and wiped at the moisture pooling in her eyes. "Natalia says I get worked up too much, but...somebody has to."

"If you don't want to go on, you don't have to."

"I must," she insisted. "My brother is sweet on you, Matvey, but there are things you should know if you are going to stay."

Matthew looked to the dark dirt running between the trees. He was not sure if he even wanted to, but curiosity won over. It was about time to get some answers. "All right. What happened? You didn't trust these...caretakers?"

"Caretakers? That puts it very kindly. These people simply kept an eye on us so we would not run outside...possibly into a battle. Usually they kept to themselves, and some even hunted for us...while others...others did not know to keep their claws on their own body. We were all growing fairly well despite everything that was happening around us. I may be the oldest, but Vanya grew taller than me before long, and he was becoming more and more handsome each time he woke up. Natalia was very reclusive and angry to strangers, so they usually overlooked her, especially from her youth. This kept on well after I was almost a woman, but then Vanya became sick of it, and snapped someone's wrist for trying to lift my skirt once!"

"Woo, go Ivan!"

Irunya managed a small smile. "Anyway, I cannot remember the last time I saw our parents. They stopped coming back, and I knew the worse had happened. I could get away with leading Natalia on that they were going to visit soon, but I knew Vanya stopped believing me after a while. With our parents gone, it was up to us to step up and take control. Everyone figured that he was the firstborn, and we played along. That boy had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but he was ready, and I did not mind his wishes."

"But...?"

A tear slid down Irunya's cheek, but her voice was surprisingly clear. "Other demons had other plans, and we were young, hopeful, and foolish. Change in power is never easy during a war like that. Everyone was laying a claim on our power at once. People barging in our own home at anytime, challenging us before we could lift a claw for our input in the battles. Vanya and I were strong, and Natalia was toning to be fury on her own. It was...exhilarating. We began to believe we could do this, that we can handle ourselves." Her short smile died for a look of fright. "One night, they poured in the dozens and slaughtered our guardians, whatever workers we had, and even our pets. A lot of demons had died at this point, and some were becoming desperate, clumping together under the 'threat' of a common enemy, which were innocent children..."

Matthew held out his hands, hovering from her light weeping. "Irunya, please-!"

She leaned away. "I can handle myself, Matvey. I know this is very upsetting for the both of us, but I insist. I know my brother will only avoid the topic if you ask about it. So I say please, let me go on."

He gritted his teeth and scooted back into his spot. _Yet they say_ I'm _stubborn?_ "Fine. Go on."

"Thank you." Irunya straightened and wiped at her face. "Ahem. Only the three of us were left. They told us they wanted us alive...barely. We have been fighting for many sleeps, but still, we put up a good fight. When they asked who was in charge, I said I was. Ivan claimed it was him. When they were about to beat me for lying, he offered himself. He told me one of us had to protect Natalia, and it was him they wanted."

The black forest was so quiet, so peaceful, yet there was a battle in Irunya's eyes, and Matthew could only sit there and listen to it. He was sickeningly curious. "Oh..."

"They...stored Natalia and I in one of the bedrooms, all threats of course. They said our time was over, that our family was weak. We let others walk over our land, over us, that we allowed them to do what they want, and nobody ever truly listened to us. Natalia...oh, little Natalia told the bastards that was loyalty, something they did not know."

"What...what did your captors do?"

"They simply smiled and told us that they're going to beat our brother three times as much for all of us."

Matthew's throat was tight, and he could only whisper, "A-and they did...?"

Irunya bobbed her head up and down. "I covered Natalia's ears from the commotion downstairs. When they returned, they dropped Ivan in front of us, bloody, beaten, and barely breathing. They did not seem happy about it, though. One of them had a nasty clot of blood where her ear once was."

"But...Ivan came back."

"Eventually, he came to. I spent the time tearing parts off my skirt to tie around his wounds while Natalia slept. When he woke up, he..." Irunya put her fingers over her mouth for a moment to collect herself. "He smiled at me and told me did not go down without a fight of his own, and that he would not let anyone touch us. It was stupid on our enemies' part, of course. He was used to getting pushed around and smacked. I think he just went numb during the whole thing..." She gave herself a little shake and brushed a clump of pale hair from her face. "After we all got some sleep, Natalia had an idea to sneak and kill each one of them from the shadows. It was often seen as cowardly to sneak on another, but it could have been our only chance. We left Ivan to rest, but when we got downstairs, they were all dead, and someone else was sitting in one of the throne chairs."

"Huh?" Matthew grabbed some of the scarf and dabbed at his own face. "Who was it?"

"I do not know. Natalia tore out his throat before he could say a word to us."

"Holy crap, Natalia did?!"

"Yes. All of us were done by then. Everyone but we three were the only ones alive in the building, and even by looking out one of the windows, we could see bodies littered throughout the area. After we recovered, many of our previous neighbors fled, never wanting to get involved in a war between lords again. Few stayed, but growing up with the war...it changed us, but Vanya... All three of us used to be so close. He can still talk and hold conversation, but there's something...empty inside of him. Perhaps broken would be a better word, or maybe disappointed will do. He caught this mindset that everything happened because our parents were too lenient and open with everything, so he in turn, became...not so lenient and open. Eventually, the few that stayed behind found the courage to leave from him, too. My brother says he wants everyone to be friends, but how can that happen if he is so closed about himself all the time?"

Matthew blinked in surprise when Irunya stopped talking. He looked to his side, and she was gazing at the ground with a sad smile. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I think so. Phew!" Irunya swiped the back of her hand across her face. "It feels so nice to get that out. Whenever I talk to Natalia about it, she does not seem too keen on staying around long, and Vanya...it's a sensitive subject for all of us. Not all demons are like that, Matvey. At least, _we_ are more refined than those animals. I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Uh, y-yeah me too."

"Do you still have an appetite? Would you like to go to the market?"

"Yep! The growling is still around." Matthew eagerly sprung up, stretching his legs. "Are we almost there?"

Irunya hurried along. "Almost."

They walked for a few speechless paces, until Matthew had to ask, "Hey, have you ever wished that you have claimed your leadership instead of handing it over?"

Irunya's distant gaze snapped off when Matthew's foot tangled with a dark root. He managed to catch himself on a mossy tree, and ripped his trapped leg with a loud snap from the plant. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention. To the root!" He quickly added, tossing the crispy vine on the dark ground.

Irunya beckoned a fit of light laughter. "I am not going gray just yet." She cleared her throat and took on a more wary tone, "Matvey, what I tell you from now are things I want you to keep to yourself." Matthew looked to her with wide eyes, and brushed against a tree. "I was scared that I would do the wrong things, that I was not as good of a strategist as my brother, but when I look around our quiet and empty house, and when I watch him stare at nothing with this gloomy stare in his eyes...yes. Yes, I often wonder what could be different if I had faced my responsibilities instead of eagerly handing them to a little boy."

Matthew struggled to give reassurance. "At least you are all three together now."

"That is true, but we could have all been together and healthy if I took charge and had gotten my family to flee far from here."

"Wait..." Matthew slowed, causing her to glance back and stop, too. "You would leave everything you have here?"

"Everything I have is with my brother and sister. Sometimes that freedom of having no restraints calls to me, but if they want to stay, then I will support them."

Matthew thought of what his brother wanted, or what his father would do if he decided to stay amongst these pits of heat and darkness. After pondering to himself, he noticed he did not feel as saddened about going his own way. It was what his dad expected, if in a slightly more normal way, for his children to branch off to their own lives. He just hoped Francis was not yanking out his hair at the moment. "I think I know what you mean."

Irunya let out a happy giggle. "I am glad to have met you, Matvey, but I am most relieved that my brother did, too, and took a long interest in you. He never had 'special' company for a considerable time. It is good that he is serious about his heart for once."

"Oh, definitely." Matthew's smitten smile puckered. "Are you guys worried about that...that massacre happening again?"

"Why would we? Nobody lives around us. We have been in isolation for a while now."

"Exactly why I asked. Ivan doesn't seem like the guy to take to being alone."

"Matthew, there is a reason why he is alone now. That reason also drove to me to the temptation of leaving for my own, but I won't let him decay if I can help it."

"That reason being...?" Matthew furrowed his eyebrows when Irunya pulled a disturbed expression. "Do you think he can get better?"

She suddenly cheered up. "Oh, of course! Actually, as of recently, he has been putting more effort into everything he is doing instead of letting alcohol do the work. It is lovely to see him clean, and it is a start. Still, he needs someone that knows to say 'no' when it is right, and somebody that is stubborn and strong, Matvey. Most of all, you cannot let yourself be afraid of him or his past. It is an unavoidable part of him as it is a part of all of us."

"Don't worry. I'm not some cheap lover he grabbed off the streets."

"Yes," Irunya agreed. "That is enough worry for now. Look! We are almost there! Let us hurry!"

"Huh? Wait, not so fast, please!"

The trees thinned out to a long field of rocks, smoothed from many feet over millennia. Several rows of various, rugged stations, or structures that passed as market stations, stretched the length of the clearing. Many voices intertwined with metal clashing, wings generously flapping to and fro, and lava sizzled and snapped in the distance.

Irunya asked, "Is it nice?"

"Yeah, it reminds me of medieval times," Matthew said, drifting from the confused she-demon. The stares from many narrow pupils followed his unoccupied back as he wandered further into the market.

"Matvey, do not wander too far," she warned. She nudged his elbow and pointed, "Look, there is a butcher. Do you like hog?"

"Um, yeah, pork sounds good," Matthew padded closer to the stand, uncertainly staring at the beaming (and shirtless!) creature posing behind it. He began shyly, "Hi."

The demon flashed his fangs in a broad smile at Irunya. "You're Braginsky's sister, aren't you? You're a little ways from home. What gives?"

"Food!" Irunya shared a laugh with him. She held a hand out to her side, coaxing the boy closer to the stall. "We have hungry bellies on our hands."

Matthew said, "Nope, just one."

The butcher leaned to one side, peeking under the top of the stand. "What'd you have here, Irunya?" He lashed a hand out, causing Matthew to flinch from the claw running pass the side of his head. "Where's your horns? And your wings. And your tail. What, is he a stripped slave?"

"No, he was born like that," Irunya swished a hand. "Can I have a leg?"

"You do, right there," the vendor jabbed a clawed finger at her hide trousers, and threw his head back in loud laughter. "I got you, don't you worry." He turned and flopped a hooved limb on the stand. "How'd you like your meat?"

Irunya glanced at Matthew. The teen blinked a few times, realization dawning on why both demons were staring. "Oh, uh, can you cook it until the meat is no longer pink and bloody?"

The butcher bunched his wild eyebrows together. "Huh?! That's when it's the best!" He shrugged and snatched the leg off of the surface. "If that's how you like it, then my coins have no reason to talk."

"Come, sit," Irunya beckoned to Matthew behind the stall to a pit hollowed in the ground, and a healthy flame crackled from a pile of twigs. "It will be a bit. Are you all right? Is it too hot?"

"No, I'm fine," Matthew assured with a soft smile, watching the vendor skewer the leg with another stick, and held it over the fire. He settled on a smooth boulder, and noticed many of the food stalls had some sort of cook out behind them, demons alike watching their meals being prepared. Strange forms of dark, wispy shadows wafted from them and mingled with others. If he looked closely, even Irunya and the butcher had their own. "I thought you guys eat your food raw."

"If you are in a hurry. Either or is fine," Irunya said. "Both of their benefits and drawbacks."

The butcher glanced up at Matthew, mouth set in a thoughtful manner. "Are your parents like that?" Irunya shot him a shocked look. His wings gave a small twitch, nicking the dirt beneath his seat. "I seen many strange fellows around, so don't feel left out."

Matthew made a short, amused laugh. "I'll try not to, and yes, they are."

"Huh?" The demon said again.

"M-my parents. They are like this." Matthew frowned when he tried to remember his mother. _Were like this._

"Huh!" This time, the sound was one of wonder. The scent of roasted meat made Matthew's mouth water. He wiggled around on the rock, not the most pleasant thing to sit on, as his stomach rumbled again. After a few questions that struck too close to personal, the butcher surrendered the roasted leg. Matthew did not care what kind of animal it was, and ripped ravenous mouthfuls from the bone. Irunya took care of the price, and watched him eat with a fond smile. "Irunya," the vendor leaned towards her, his voice low. "What's really going on? He isn't a demon, is he?"

Irunya ran a hand through the pale hair curving around the nape of her neck. "No," she finally said after a bout of fidgeting. "No, he is not a demon. He is a good boy-"

The butcher held his hands up. "I didn't say he wasn't. Just curious at a strange sight."

The she-demon agreed, "Strange." Matthew patted at his mouth with his shirt sleeve once he got his fill in from the large leg. "Are you done, Matvey?"

Matthew turned to her with a bright grin. "Yeah, thanks. The pork was delicious!"

"I would hope so," the butcher barked. He tossed a hand out and roughly smacked his palm against Matthew's back, between the shoulder blades. "Leave the bone. I'll feed it to my hellhound or something."

"Oh, right," Matthew set the leftover on the stand and nodded to the vendor. Irunya rubbed his back tenderly. "Have a nice day."

"Hava-nava what?"

They were already continuing down the lines of stalls.

"Huh. Humans are weird."


	33. Chapter 32

By the time they have returned to Ivan's house, Matthew's feet were aching for him to give up walking, possibly forever. The small bag Irunya brought with her was void of coins, and filled with trinkets. He even sported his own chain around his neck, which she bought for him because "Vanya will appreciate it, and it is pretty." For their laughs of relief, the home was filled with cool air, or cool compared to outside. "We missed it!" Matthew announced and held his hands to a vent filtering a slight breeze between two of the grand pillars. "I wonder what was stuck in there."

"Let us go and find out," Irunya suggested. He followed her pass the throne room, pausing whenever she did to taste the air. "Something...strange passed through here. I do not recognize that scent."

"Maybe whatever was clogging the vents is still around?"

"No, no, this is different."

Matthew tried sniffing, but did not catch anything out of the blue. At least the air was much more fresh, and none of that stale, tangy heat. He opened his mouth to voice his delight, but a clacking noise drummed against the hard floors. Both him and the she-demon gasped and stepped back as a bulky canine-like creature bounded forward, snuffling and lashing its hairless tail back and forth in curiosity. "Oh! Is it a dog?"

"A what?" Irunya smiled, kneeling to be at level to the animal. Thick, bone colored horns curved behind its head and out the sides, going pass its folded ears. It had a short, bulky body with muscular legs, and powerful paws. Matthew dubbed it Hell's canine.

"You're a weird one, aren't you?" The boy cooed, scratching at the only hair the 'dog' had, which were a few whiskers under its chin. It eagerly snorted and grunted as its nose poked Matthew in various places, earning squeaks of laughter from him. Irunya drew a sharp breath, springing to face a figure in the dining hall's doorway.

"We're back!" She announced to her brother.

Ivan picked up his head, blinking several times in surprise from watching the 'dog' and Matthew interact. "I see that. I also see that you met our newest member of the family."

"Where-"

"The vents."

Matthew rose to stand. "You're saying a dog was blocking all the cool air from coming in?"

"Yes. Well, not just the dog." Ivan rubbed at the bandages around his neck as he came closer. The canine creature huffed, clacking after him, and sniffed his heels. "Our friend decided to make his nest in our vents! You would not believe all the bones and gross stuff that was in there."

Irunya asked, "Is it out now?"

"It is in progress," her brother replied, kneeling to pat the hound on its broad head.

She fiddled with the sack around her neck. "I guess...I will go and wash up in the meantime."

Matthew called, "Thanks for the outing!"

"Thank you!"

The 'dog' spun around to investigate Matthew again, and he performed a little wave to it. "Hi there." _This has to be the ugliest dog I have ever seen._ It tilted its head as it stared at him, but he was gazing at Ivan rising to stand. The demon caught his eye and his cheeks puffed out in a pleased smile from his staring. "Matthew, you went to the market with Irunya, yes? How was it?"

"It was great!" Matthew was unusually boastful as one of his hands were consumed by Ivan's. "We walked around so much, and I ate a whole leg of hog."

"You are very pleased with yourself!"

The hound made a drawn out groan as it yawned, revealing a sharp tongue to match its teeth.

Matthew raised his eyebrows. "Spooky!" The 'dog' tipped his head as Ivan wound an arm around his back. "Did you give him a name yet?"

"No, I just been calling it 'doggy' so far."

"Cujo," Matthew said to the canine as it sat down to scratch behind a horn. "You look like something from a movie."

"Cujo! What a silly name!"

"I was just kidding-" Matthew was interrupted with a sharp yap. He studied the dark, beady eyes staring back at him. "Okay, Cujo it is." Ivan was quiet, so he glanced up worryingly. His eyes were flicking between him and the hound. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everything is right at the moment. The house is nice and cool now, and we have a family pet. It is a good time."

The things Irunya said crept to the front of Matthew's mind, and he gazed at Ivan with many emotions churning around his gut. "Hey," he nudged and gave Ivan's chest a good rub, "everything is going to be all right."

Ivan slowly lifted his arm to cup the back of Matthew's hand, and was dazed or pondering the intense look in his eyes. "I would like that to stay true for a long time."

"Me too." Matthew stood on his toes to get closer.

"Huh? Oh!" A newcomer squawked and threw his arms over his face. "I-I can come back another time!"

Ivan's peace fell into a prickled expression as Matthew looked to their new company. The other demon, either a child or a man with a very youthful face and stature slowly lowered his arms as Ivan asked, "Are you finished?"

Cujo trampled around the pairs of legs and waggled its rear in delight at the newcomer. He twitched under Ivan's gaze, but did not meet his eyes. "Yes, all the...the nest is cleared out and discarded. I-If it is good now, may I go home?"

A long hum rose from Ivan's throat. "Come here." The other demon scurried over to the pair, still keeping his eyes down. Matthew put on a friendly smile, about to greet him, but Ivan clamped a hand on their company's head. "Are you in such a rush to leave? Do you not miss your home?"

"This isn't my home-" A high growl drifted into the air. "Wh-where I am staying...i-it's a while away, and s-s-since everything you a-asked me to do is done! Please stop pressing on my head! Y-you're compressing my spine!"

Ivan only laughed at the small one's turmoil. "You do not change!"

 _His home?_ Matthew glanced between the two demons, realizing that this must be one of the survivors from that large-scale massacre. The survivors that left, most likely for this exact reason of Ivan not listening to their complaints. He yanked on Ivan's shirt until he got attention. "I think that's more than enough."

Ivan was all smiles. "What do you mean?"

"You're hurting him," Matthew pointed out. When Ivan did not move to gaze at him thoughtfully, he reached out and pushed his arm away. The small demon widened his blue-green eyes as his imprisonment was lifted from his head and quickly backed away from the pair. "You are how much stronger than him, Ivan?"

"But it is funny! Ravis always makes silly faces!"

Matthew tried to keep his voice even from anger or disgust. "Nobody else was laughing. You could have seriously injured him. Then how could he help you?"

Ivan cradled his hand to his chest and knitted his eyebrows in great bewilderment. Matthew turned to Ravis and asked, "Did you come to do anything else besides clear the vents?"

The shaking only increased in fervor. "N-no."

"Thank you for that. You did an excellent job, but you should go back to...wherever now."

Ivan opened his mouth, as if to dissent, but watched the dull blond scramble away with his wings flapping to escape. "What was that about?"

Matthew countered, "Yeah, Ivan, what was it about? Do you always treat your guests like that?"

"Like what?" Although his tone was still pleasant, Ivan dropped his cheeky grin. "I was only pulling legs!"

"It sure the Hell looked a lot more than that!" Cujo whined at Matthew's feet, but he ignored the 'dog' to glare at his partner. "You said that this was his home once. Did you ever think that your behavior and actions prompted him to leave?"

Ivan's eyes widened, but Matthew glanced down in surprise at the darkness toiling around their feet. "What do you know about that? Irunya has told you many things, has she not?"

"I wanted to know, and it's not like you ever tell me anything."

Cujo bared its teeth and barked when Ivan loomed closer and his hand quickly raised, lowered, and then raised again. Matthew clenched his jaw from the grabby gesture, resisting the urge to step backwards and away from him. "These things...I did not want to tell you because they are evil and disgusting things that should stay away from you!"

Matthew balled his hands against his thighs into fists as the demon twisted from him and stormed away for a few steps. He took a heavy breath, not wanting to be angry at Ivan, and did not want Ivan to be angry at him, "I am not ashamed about what happened to you, or what you did. We can work on making things better, but it will not happen if you hide from me, Ivan! This thing between us is not going to work out if you keep secrets!"

Ivan exclaimed without turning around, "Oh! You want to know this sadness, too? Why?! I do not understand. Why would you wish to bring that on yourself?" He slowly turned around with a bewildered expression, but a crooked smile raised a cheek. "Is it that you like to hurt yourself?"

"What, you expect me just to sit there and watch you wallow in your consequences?" Matthew stamped a foot on the tiled ground, "If you won't let me help you be happy, then I want to be as sad as you are!"

The demon cracked a quiet sniggle with the back of his hand over his mouth. "Look at you. You..." He drifted closer to lift his hands as if they were going to clasp Matthew's cheeks, but they only bobbed in mid-air. Matthew was burning hot, and his fists trembled at his sides from keeping them like that, but he was not going to drop his glare from the goose bumps running up his arms or back down from the subtle shifts in Ivan's smile or let a laugh out to tell him everything was all right.

That dark fog pooling at their feet curled over itself at its owner visible delight, but Cujo growled and yapped at Ivan's looming posture, not as delighted. The demon of course, ignored the hound to beam at his partner. "You make me so infuriated and happy, Matthew!" He cackled right in his face. Matthew tilted his chin up so he would not watch his lips as he chortled, "All at once! Some who _finally_..." Yet _another_ peel of laughter died to a high hum as Ivan slung his arms around Matthew's shoulders and crushed him against himself. "Finally..."

Matthew did not make a move to try to yank away, but his hands loosened from tight balls to pinch at his own shirt so they would not find their way onto Ivan. _He's insane._ His heart was hammering against the demon's chest, but not at all from that little voice of common sense. His fingers knitted into the soft material of Ivan's button-up shirt despite his lame restraint as his eyes fluttered from the nudges and kisses to his jaw and neck. "You _will_ tell me," his voice came out more hollow than he expected, but he insisted, "even if it's tomorrow or next week or eventually, I want to know all of you."

"Yes, yes, I 'get it.'" Ivan trailed up his chin and paused against his mouth, "You will not let me go otherwise. No, not you..."

Matthew wondered if he was crazy, too. Then again, if he was contemplating it, did that not mean he was crazy, that he was aware? Or perhaps since he thought and realized it, it made him just insane.

"Could you not do that right in the middle of the throne room?"

Cujo, who was pacing and thumping around the pair's heated embrace, loudly barked and galloped to Natalia standing in the doorway to the stairwell. She held out a palm for the hound to snuffle against, but did not peel her eyes from her brother. "I would expect this disgusting display from a human, but not you."

Ivan turned his head in her direction, but spoke more to the door frame than his sister, "Natalia, do not be so rude to Matvey. I do not appreciate it."

Natalia looked in a different direction and did not say anything more. Perhaps in anger, perhaps because she did not know what else to say, or it was her way to accept his words; Matthew had a slight idea of the calamity in Ivan's mind, but for her, he was so clueless. Whatever the reason, she did not have a friendly interest in him, so he turned to Ivan and asked, "Did you want to go to bed?"

A surprised look glimpsed across Ivan's face until a toothy smile crept into play and an odd drop to his voice, "Matthew...that is a good idea." Without anymore hesitation, he swooped down and plucked Matthew from the floor by his legs, vanishing from the throne room in a quick sweep of wings and darkness.

Matthew had not expected to be upstairs so quickly, but hey, the faster to sleep, the better. There was a _whoosh_ in his ears and smoky black before his eyes in the second he knew was used to zip into the bedroom. He had not expected to be tossed onto his back on the lumpy mattress, and let out a startled grunt as his glasses went askew from the force. "Jeez, chill-"

Blunt claws grazed his hair as they tugged his glasses aside, and a short "Ha!" served as a short spoiler for hot lips to snatch his own. One of Matthew's legs jerked up from the rough attention and when Ivan pulled away from his face, he uneasily laughed at the sheet of darkness engulfing the bed. Not even his glasses would have helped him as he groped at the air and patted what he hoped was Ivan's shoulder. It reminded him when the demon fought with Arthur, how he nearly dissapeared into the night with a cloak of shadows. "Do all demons do this?"

Ivan's bubbly voice was underlined with heavy breath, "What a silly question."

"What, I was just...whoa!" Matthew let out an embarrassingly loud gasp against the heavy body pressing against his lower stomach. "Whoa, hey, hey! Ivan!"

The demon nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck and giggled against his skin, "Matthew is enjoying himself _very much_ already, yes?"

"No!" Matthew started angrily smacking Ivan's shoulders, and then he grabbed at a horn to yank on it. The one that was nearly dislodged during the spat with Arthur. Ivan snorted in shock, and ripped away. "No! I mean, yeah, but...no!"

The darkness asked, "Oh? Is that not how humans do this? Is there something-"

"When I say 'go to bed' I mean go to bed to _sleep!_ "

A quiet moment passed before Ivan cheerfully exclaimed, "Of course, Matvey! I was giving you a 'goodnight kiss!'"

"Wha...?" Matthew squinted and scowled at the nightly cloud as it retracted back into a familiar form, and color and light washed over his eyes to replace its absence. Ivan leaned down to lightly touch his lips with Matthew's again, though much more of what a 'goodnight kiss' usually should be.

"Goodnight." A strong flap of cloth carried the demon out of the room, and Matthew was left to stare at the canopy above the bed.

His arms dropped onto the mattress and a flush of heat smacked his face at how stupid and stiff he felt. "Freaking demons." He wiggled around to shed his cargo shorts, tossed them halfway across the bed, and curled up on his side with his thoughts running backwards again and again throughout the night, or day...or evening. He picked up his head to sigh in annoyance and reached for his discarded shorts to fish out his cell phone.

After waiting for it to take its time to turn on, he realized how he messed up his sleep pattern from the early morning hours showing on the screen. He shrugged, tossing the device onto his shorts, and turned over again. The house was somewhat cool to comfortably relax, and he fell asleep fairly easily once his mind drifted to more innocent things.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

However, when Matthew reached consciousness, he blinked open his eyes and scrunched his face at how sweaty and gross he felt. At first in his clogged mind, he thought he may have dreamed that the vents were cleared, the heat being a product of a hellhound making its nest in them, until the heat around him quivered with a childlike giggle.

"You are awake! Just now you were talking about a two-four-one deal. What do those numbers mean?"

"Nothing. Go back to sleep."

Of course, Ivan did not go back to sleep, and instead tugged on Matthew's shirt sleeve to urge him out of bed. "I am awake, and you are awake, so let's do fun things."

"I was doing a fun thing!" Matthew's voice was the loudest and crabbiest just after awakening. "Sleeping is fun."

"Your stomach is going to rumble soon. We need to get out of bed." With no reply, Ivan announced, "If you do not get up, I am going to make you get up, and you know I will!"

"Ugh," Matthew kicked against the mattress and hoisted himself to a sitting position. Pointedly ignoring the hefty laughter from his bedmate, he crawled forward almost blindly in the sea of blankets, patting the covers for any foreign shapes. "Where are my glasses?"

The blankets shifted as Ivan drew closer and put a hand on his chest to stop his search. "You were about to crawl on top of them."

"Oh, thanks." Matthew sat back to rub the lens with his shirt before setting them in place. The scarf drooping around his shoulders slid away, momentarily startling him as its owner took it back. Ivan flicked the lengthy cloth behind his own back, but then stopped to stare at his bedmate's neck.

"What is that?"

Matthew cracked open his eyes when they easily slipped shut again. "What's what?"

Ivan crept closer and pinched a strong golden chain that was hiding beneath his scarf to pull it into the open.

"Oh, this? It's not too girly, right?"

The question was terse, and Ivan's eyes were on nothing else, "Where did you get this?"

"At the market? Irunya bought it for me. You know, since I didn't have any demon money?"

The demon stared at the round, shiny capsule dangling off of its metal rings. "She did that?"

"Yeah, she really liked it, too. She was actually the one to point it out to me."

Ivan curled his nose in the slightest as he wedged a nail in the thin crack joining the pendant's halves together. "Irunya? Why would she...?"

Matthew turned his head to the side, bewildered at the nasty emotions evident on Ivan's face. "Is everything all right?"

"Why would she do this when it is very clear that you have already claimed _my_ interest?!" Ivan jerked forward to dart off the bed, but Matthew grabbed for one of the ends of his scarf, which yanked him back.

"Wait, where are you going?"

The demon's tail lashed against the mattress, and his singsong voice was grating to Matthew's ears as he spoke between clenched teeth, "Do not do that again, Matvey."

Matthew let go, only to put both his hands on Ivan's shoulders to root him to the bed. "What's going on? Why are you pissed off at a necklace?" When Ivan contorted his face and opened his mouth, the teen lightly demanded before some excuse was made up, "Tell me, Ivan."

"Open it."

"Huh? This?" Matthew fiddled with his necklace until he managed to wedge a nail between the two halves and it popped open. "Oh!" He brought it closer to his face to scrutinize the little clear vial dangling inside. "I didn't know there was something in here."

"It is a blood necklace. Demons buy or make them to give to their lovers and they fill one another's with their own blood."

 _Oh, how I would totally like to carry around some blood. Totally._ "Ivan, Irunya did not put her blood in here." A short snicker escaped Matthew, and Ivan mashed his eyebrows together in a look of horror. "She even told me that you would appreciate it. I didn't know what she meant then, but now...were you seriously going to chew your sister out for this?"

Ivan clamped his hands onto his scarf and glared at the bed. "I thought she was going to steal you from under my wing without you realizing what is happening!"

Matthew smacked his palms to his face, but they did not do much to stifle his crazy laughter. "You thought that...ha-ha-ha!" He swished his hands in front of his face as Ivan tucked his chin into his scarf. "Ivan, no! That wouldn't...ha-ha!"

"Matvey, stop laughing. I'm embarrassed."

"Oh, I'm...ha..." Matthew swiped at his face as if that would clear the laughter in his belly. He scooted forward to put his hands on Ivan's. "I'm sorry, but that would be..." _Stupid._ "That would be silly. I _don't_ like Irunya like that. I like you. If anything, I think she's encouraging us."

Ivan kept his eyes down. "Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh.'" Matthew leaned forward to kiss his cheek, but that only seemed to make Ivan's face even more flushed. "How about some food?"

"Ah, yes, food is good right about now." Ivan awkwardly scooted on his rear until his legs hung off the bed and he rose to his feet.

"Hey," Matthew called out when he threw open the double doors leading out to a balcony overlooking one side of the house. "Where are you going?"

Ivan walked out onto the platform, and the railing did not stop him from launching himself over it.

"Oh my god!" Matthew skittered across the mattress before running outside to clutch onto the stone railing. His eyes jumped around the field opening to the surrounding forest until he spotted Ivan sailing over the dark soil before landing beside a few trees that were rich in round fruits. He smacked a palm to his forehead. "Duh, stupid! Wings!" With a pathetic laugh to himself, he tested the sturdiness of the fence with a shake before resting on it.

The top half of Ivan was taken over by the red petals of the tree which were quivering from the intrusion. A sudden "Ow!" shot across the plain, and Ivan's legs danced beneath the fuzzy branches. "It stabbed me!" Enraged with whatever harmed him, he ripped a branch off the tree, stumbled backwards from the force, and collided with the tree behind him.

"Oh my God," this one was more endearing than the last exclamation. The demon's wings flicked as he tossed a glare over his shoulder at the tree, and hurried to a nearby basin of water to dip the fruit dangling off the branch.

Ivan craned his head up when he walked to the balcony, and gave the stick a shake. "Look at what I caught!"

Matthew clapped politely, "Wow, good hunting!" He put a hand over his mouth to hide his stupid grin as Ivan performed a theater bow and stuck the branch in his mouth so he could glide up the wall. "Ooh, yummy, strange fruits." The teen eagerly took one when it was plucked from the branch and offered to him. "They look like small, pink eggplants."

"Eggplants? I did not know eggs could be grown!"

Matthew rolled his eyes, unable to bite into his fruit until he stopped smiling like an idiot. "You learn something new everyday."

When there was nothing but a little nub dangling off of both their stems Ivan asked, "Are you finished? We should throw the stems out as far as we can."

"Why would we do that?"

Ivan shrugged, grinning cheek to cheek. "It is something silly to do after you eat fruit. Ready?" He held his arm back, bracing to toss the chewed core. "Why not make it interesting? If I throw it further than you, you have to stay an extra day."

"Huh? Where'd that come from?" Matthew shot him a sly smile. "Fine, then, but if I win, you'll have to...wear a dress and dance on the dining table."

"I have to _what?_ " Ivan did a double take. "I wonder about you, Matvey, but I will do it, _if_ your stem reaches farther than mine does."

"Okay, are you ready?"

"Are you?"

"On three, we throw them."

"One," Ivan started, drawing his hand back.

Matthew copied the gesture. "Two."

"Three!" They both said. Ivan only lamely tossed his core, but used his free hand to grab Matthew's side, causing him to flinch with a squeak and drop his stem instead of throwing it.

"Wha...hey!" Matthew shoved him when he realized what the demon did. "That's so cheating!"

"Ah, but look, my stem wound up further than yours!" Ivan pointed to a light speck against the dirt a little ways from the balcony, while the other one was beneath where they were.

"Only because you cheated." Matthew turned away, crossing his arms. _Dang it, I kind of really wanted to see him dancing in a dress. Alfred would have loved pictures._

Ivan let out a half giggle, half rumble of joy, and his fingers danced as he crept closer before snatching Matthew into a tough embrace. The leg kicking and wiggling was encouragement to him. "I won! Say you will stay!"

"Not fair!" Matthew managed to spit out against the arms constricting from both sides. "I can't breathe!"

"I will give you your air back if you say what I want to hear!"

"Ack, fine, fine! I'll stay another day!" Matthew's feet hit the balcony as he was dropped from the overbearing embrace. He put a hand over his chest, his heart pounding against his palm, and scoffed in feign disgust. "If my dad yells at me, it'll be all your fault!"

Ivan pulled him into a much more gentler embrace and craned his neck to rest it on his head. "Tell your father to take it to me if there are any problems."

"Don't cry if he throws a bottle of wine at your head."

"Not even tears of joy?"

Matthew giggled, rubbing the arms wrapped around his stomach. "So, um, I never knew you were high up there."

"Up where? In the mountains?"

"No, silly. Your sister said you were a lord. I should have known from the throne chairs, though."

"Oh, she did?" Ivan slightly tightened his embrace. "Did she say anything else about me?"

"Sheesh, why so paranoid?"

It was quiet enough for lava to pop in the background for a moment. "I have plenty of reasons. I...I am sure Irunya has told you about that massacre, and growing up with war, but I have...let us just say that we have different paths that led us to this moment." Ivan took a heavy inhale, hesitating again. "It...it has taken a lot of persistence to keep what is left of my family under the same roof."

Matthew twisted to the side to peck Ivan's cheek, and lightly offered, "You can always make things better. You have the power, don't you?"

Ivan prodded his partner's jaw with his own and mumbled, "Yes, I have a lot of power in many ways, but my power never had made other people love me."

"You don't use power to make people love you...or 'make' people love you in the first place." Matthew sprung a smile that sounded in his voice, "After all, you were decked in stolen clothes that never matched and did not know how to hold a fork when we became friends. Irunya told me that lords offer shelter and food in exchange of the land's protection. You have a lot to offer!"

"Yes, but where is everyone? This place has been empty for a long time."

Matthew chewed his lip and mind for a decent solution. "Maybe...it's how you offer it?"

"It is a generous offer!"

"Yeah, but...look what happened with that little demon guy yesterday. You almost scared the crap out of him." Using a cheesy line on somebody that probably never heard of it, Matthew pointed out, "With great power, comes great responsibility. If you want to lead, you can't think about only yourself anymore. There are so many other people that depend on you as you depend on them. You can't let them down."

"Maybe Matvey should take my place as the lord of the land since he knows so much."

Matthew was unsure whether that was a sweet or sarcastic tone. He scrunched his face and tugged against the arms around his waist, but they pulled him back. "There's a little thing called history, so people won't make the same mistakes again." _Yet fools still do, but let's not say that aloud._ "There are also second chances, if you believe in those."

"Second chances? What a silly human thing." Ivan affectionately nuzzled his nose amongst Matthew's hair and murmured, "What a beautiful human thing..."

"I don't think I would want to be a lord, but...um, if you maybe wanted a little help, I could give you some human advice?"

"We share now. Is that not what you said before? You have proven to me that you are smart, so it would be stupid of me to not at least acknowledge what you have to offer me...or my land." Ivan moved honey locks from Matthew's ear to snicker against his skin, "There are two throne chairs, after all, is there not?"

Matthew flinched from his close voice and giggled, "Yeah, there is." He swept his gaze around the alien trees poking from the near-black soil and the rocks hanging from the enormous cavern, dripping rare water into the pools of magma. _Maybe...I could have a place here._

Ivan broke his plotting, "We were going to do fun stuff, yes?"

"Uh...fun stuff?"

"Fun stuff!" Ivan cheered, and released his hold to crouch down and grab Matthew's legs. Matthew did not get a chance to question his motives, or even shout in surprise as he was snatched up, and they both dove off of the balcony.

"Wait! I'm still in my boxers! Can't I get shorts on-"

"No, your boxers are nice! There is no need!"


	34. Chapter 33

"The tunnel of echoes was fun. That stampede, fire dance thingy was fun. Even watching that guy swallow that bug was fun, but this," Matthew shot a hand to a precipice jutting out over a huge patch of ground that was apparently soft, according to Ivan, "this is not a part of the definition of fun."

"It is not fun when you are standing here and talking about it." Ivan grabbed his elbow to urge him forward, closer to the edge of the cliff. "Do you think I would take you this far just to get you to jump to your death?"

Matthew dissented the arms guiding him closer to certain doom with small "No's" and weak slaps to Ivan's chest. The struggle lasted too long for Ivan, so he swooped down and plucked him from the ground. "No, Ivan, no!" Matthew's voice cracked from volumes of fright once the ground vanished beneath Ivan's feet.

"Ha-ha, yes!" To make matters worse, as they were plunging to a large patch amongst hard ground, Ivan had the nerve to smash their lips together before pushing him away so they could fall separately.

"You ass-!" Matthew's insult was interrupted as he plunged head first into a swath of loose sediment that bent and gently caught his weight. He had to be dead; this was too crazy, even for Hell. Whatever material around him shifted, flowing upwards and ignored his wild flailing. Matthew's head popped up from the cool soil, gasping for breath he forgot to deliver his lungs during his near death.

"Peek-the-boos!" Ivan called a little ways away with only his head sticking out from the ground. "That was fun!"

"Fun?! What is this stuff?!" Matthew let out a breathy yell, "Something's crawling across my leg!"

"There are little grubs all around us," Ivan pointed out, and a pale hand surfaced to pluck one of the brown squirms surrounding them to drop it in his mouth. He loudly smacked his lips, "Not only are they nice enough to catch us without our necks snapping, they make a good snack! So soft!"

"What?! No, _no!"_ Matthew half swam, half scrambled through the basin of bugs to throw himself onto Ivan. "Get me out of this! Get out!"

"Try one!" Ivan suggested, holding a wriggling worm to Matthew's face.

" _Je vais tu tuer!"_ Matthew declared, kicking his legs furiously, which caused more grubs to fly from the impact.

"Now look, you are not being nice to the little bugs. Shame," Ivan started to wade backwards, toward solid, non-grub infested ground. "They do not stay on your skin. If anything, they do not like touching warm things."

"I don't like touching them, either!" Matthew felt hands grab his rear, supporting him as sturdy ground found Ivan's soles. Then the usual hush found his throat again, "I can't see."

"Your glasses are in my trousers' pocket," Ivan set him down, and stuck a hand into his pants to pull out the lens, unscathed through the ordeal. Matthew shakily reached for them, so he slid them onto his face for him. "Matvey? Are you all right?"

"Just...need to sit." One of Matthew's hands held out as if to catch himself on any of the surrounding trees. He slowly lowered himself to the dark soil, and slumped against a mossy trunk. Matthew leaned his head to the bark, and closed his eyes. If he were to voice his thoughts aloud, he would only be screeching curses and incoherent sentences.

Ivan knelt before him with a little tip of his head. He was taken back when Matthew started to giggle lightly, then the laughter jumped to mad chortling, with the entire hand smacking against legs and the doubling over for breath. A grin cracked along the demon's face, gazing at Matthew losing himself to a fit of relentless laughs. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

A long, drawn in inhale, "Oh, yes, diving off of a cliff to my potential death...you can't get better than that."

Ivan only smiled, and lifted a hand to pet the cheek flushed with laughter.

Matthew let out a last giggle to top his giggles, and announced, "I think I'm ready to go back to the house. I really, really need a hot shower."

Ivan shook his head. "No hot showers."

"Fine! Just a shower, at least?"

The demon grinned, nodding. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Matthew to pluck him from the soil, and ignored his legs kicking in light dissent.

"You don't have to carry me everywhere! I can walk."

"Oh? You want to walk all the way back to the house? I was thinking it would be quicker for the both of us to fly there," Ivan did not bother to set him down as he braced himself on the soft ground before launching into the hot skies.

~.~

~BOINGERS~

~.~

Both were startled as a loud bark announced their return. The hellhound clacked forward, snuffling and grunting at Matthew's bare legs. Matthew laughed, and knelt down to pat the canine's head affectionately. Cujo suddenly quivered, and its head violently shook with a loud sneeze. He flinched with a disgusted exclamation and shook his arm, "Ew! Demon dog snot!"

Ivan laughed along side of them. "Now you really need that shower, yes?"

Matthew shot him a look that was supposed to be menacing. Cujo grunted, nudging his leg with a wet snout. "So where is this shower?"

"Do not expect much," Ivan warned him. "Come upstairs."

It was kind to say the bathing stall was a bathroom. An empty bucket waited for water, most likely to come from the pipe sticking from the ceiling. All liquids were to run down the small holes in the floor and somewhere far from the house. "How does this work?" There were not any temperature handles, let alone fancy shower heads.

"Water will come out when you pull this string. Fill up the bucket, and you can use an old cloth to scrub yourself," Ivan pointed to the stall. "Then rinse yourself with the bucket. Do not use too much water. It is a luxury."

Matthew wore a worried expression. "Warm water?"

"None else," Ivan smiled. "Is everything fine, or do you need me to join you and show you how it works?"

"I think I got it covered," Matthew shuffled into the bedroom, grinning as Ivan followed closely behind. "I actually have bath supplies in my bag." Ivan stared at the bottles of shampoo and body wash he pulled out. "Do you want to smell them? They smell good!"

The demon shook his head. "Not now. When you come out of the bathing stall, I will smell them on you."

"Creepy," Matthew said, unable to stop smiling, somehow flattered. "I'm going to...do my thing now."

"I am not a creeper," Ivan weakly dissented. "I was trying to be romantic. That is when they smell their best!"

"Hm, maybe next time," Matthew patted Ivan's chest before bounding for the washing stall. He closed and locked the door from habit, and eyed the opening sticking out of the ceiling. He reached up and tugged on the rope that laced into the pipe, and a splurge of water splattered onto the floor. When he stuck a hand under the low current with another tug to the string again, he realized he had to bathe himself in that temperature, which was much cooler than he was used to. Persuading himself it was part of the adventure, and an opportunity to get all that grime off himself, he peeled away his soiled clothes.

~.~

~BOING?~

~.~

Matthew peeked out of the bathroom door. A gentle, cool box of air greeted him, enticing him to come forth and banish his goose bumps beneath the enormous bed covers. He pattered across the hard floors, leaving footprints behind, and deposited his bath bottles in the book bag teetering on the edge of the mattress. He glanced to Ivan laying on his stomach, and the idle twitching of his tail was the only sign he was still awake and aware.

With a devious snicker, Matthew shot across the bed and plopped himself onto the demon's back, right between his wings. "Hey, there."

The great body only made a noise of question.

"Are we going to go to bed now?"

"We are in bed."

"Hush, you know what I mean!" Matthew wiggled away and pushed to his feet, bobbing up and down on the mattress. "Is it all right if I move the curtains down?"

"Go ahead."

Matthew's gaze lingered on the demon for a fleeting moment, confused by his laze, but went after the drapes. The night that bloomed from the dark cover made him smile, and he had just finished with patting the cloth into place when the cot dipped beneath him; a short warning of the arm snaking around his stomach and yanking him onto the blankets. He yelped in surprise when his rear end landed on the bed, but morphed into a light, delighted laugh beside a warm body.

A clawed hand pinched the fabric of his pajama shirt. "Silky pajamas."

Matthew elbowed his bedmate before easing to a more relaxed position by patting a pillow beneath his head. "I am starting to think you like these more than me."

Ivan took a sharp intake of breath against his back. "I do not know if there are other things...that I like more than you."

"Oh really?" Matthew tossed himself to his other side, momentarily shocking Ivan. "Not even vodka?"

Ivan made a pained noise.

"Okay. If you had to choose between vodka or me, what would you choose?"

"Why would you ask me that?" Ivan's eyebrows furrowed, "Why would I have to choose?"

Matthew tried to tap his nose, but wound up tapping the side of his face. "It's a metaphorical situation."

"Then what satisfaction will it bring you to know an answer to something that will not happen?"

"It's a joke."

Ivan shifted until he was on his stomach again, and turned his head to the other wall of cloth. "Then I have no reason to answer the question."

"Why not?"

"Does it plague you that much?"

Matthew tugged on the top blanket to pull it closer to himself. "I was just curious."

Ivan suddenly asked, "Do you think I value a liquid more than your life?"

"Vodka makes you feel really good, though."

"Yes, and you do not?" With a great heave, Ivan flipped to his side so they would be nose-to-nose. "At least with you, I can look forward to awakening." Matthew still looked skeptical, so he grabbed his hand, and brought it closer to himself. "Allow me to put it better. You are my vodka."

Cheesy or not, Matthew lightly laughed as the sensation of sturdy kisses trailed down his wrist. "Do you really mean that?"

"Do you doubt me?"

Matthew hooked his occupied hand behind Ivan's head to bring him closer. "I just like hearing you say it."

"Then I should never close my mouth ever again, yes?"

"Yeah, sounds right." Matthew gave his bedmate a very generous kiss, but pulled away uncertainly when he only smiled against his lips. "Is something wrong?"

Ivan let out a half-giggle, half-sigh through the darkness shrouding the both of them. "How can anything be wrong when it is just us lying here?" He shifted to wedge his face into the crook of Matthew's neck, encouraged by his legs weakly kicking from the tickling sensation. "I want to fill that necklace with my blood."

"What?" Matthew blurted. He glanced down, but Ivan was in the way of his view, so his eyes jumped to the ceiling, remembering what that entailed. A hand clamped on his elbow, then slid down to his hip and blunt claws pricked his behind. Ivan did not need to say anything because his thoughts were screaming loudly enough, _Carry my blood with you so any others will know you are mine. Mine, mine, mine..._

The darkness boosted Matthew's confidence enough for a lopsided smile to stretch across his face since nobody would be able to see it. "All right. On one condition."

Ivan's breath ghosted across his face. "What would that be?"

"You'll have to get one, too."

"Hm?" After the small noise of surprise, the chest against his bubbled with laughter. Matthew's eyebrows furrowed, and his snarky act withered away to hot embarrassment from the chuckling.

"What? It's only fair-"

Ivan's mouth caught his upper chin, but that still made him go quiet. "Of course." He repeated while reaching to stroke Matthew's hair, "Of course. Do you know what this means, Matthew?

 _Don't run off with anybody else! Like_ I _need to be told..._ "I'm aware," Matthew's fingertips found Ivan's face once more, and both smiled at the touches. "There isn't anybody else...and um, I really like you..."

"Oh, really?"

Matthew lightheartedly snorted. "What do you think?"

Ivan relayed his own words, "I just like hearing you say it."

"Then maybe you should stop talking," Matthew suggested. His bedmate mirrored his thoughtful hum, taking to their closeness. He may have enjoyed cold wind on his face, but the way his heart quickened made him realize that he would never see another flake of snow again if that meant staying beside Ivan. It may not last until their final breaths, but he was sure as Hell they were going to work up to it.

Both managed to pull their faces from one another to giggle how their limbs tangled together, and their kisses lightened across brows, noses and cheeks as the lull of sleep tugged at their eyes. A sudden and loud scratch against the door broke their heated embrace, and two heads lifted to gawk at the curtains that hung around the bed.

Ivan choked out, "N-Natalia?"

Unless his sister learned how to whine high pitched like that, the body on the other side of the door was something else. Snuffling sounds and a thick paw invaded the crack between the underside and floor. Both occupants relaxed with shaky sighs. Matthew plopped his head back on the pillow and said, "It's just the hellhound."

Another thump on the door caused it to shake. "What is that about?" A light voice erupted the attack against wood. "Do you want in?"

Ivan began, "Irunya, no-"

The door opened, and Irunya's round face peeked in, watching Cujo wiggle in the bedroom excitedly. It immediately went for the cot, pawing at the cover, and found an opening to join the bed's current occupants. Irunya dissented, "He wanted you! Were you going to stay there and let him cry like that the whole time?"

"Eek!" Matthew flinched as the 'dog' crawled between him and Ivan, its rump shaking as its tail lashed back and forth. "All right, you lug. Don't lay on me!"

"I suppose not." Ivan told his sister, "Close the door behind you, Irunya,"

Irunya's light laugh pierced the cloth around the bed. "You three enjoy yourselves," she said, and the door shut with a loud creak.

"Is something wrong?" Matthew asked again, hands occupied with scratching behind the hellhound's horns, causing the tail wagging to intensify against both pairs of legs.

Ivan sat up to lean over the canine creature, and rest a hand against Matthew's face. "No. Where were we?"

Matthew shot up, and almost threw himself against the demon. Cujo's tail waggling deadpanned, confused at its sudden lack of affection. It spun around and shoved its flat muzzle between their joined faces, whipping its tail again at the prospect of attention when the pair broke apart with exclamations of shock and disgust.

"Cujo!" Matthew called, but his tone was too full of laughter to sound scathing. Ivan only stared at the 'dog' in disappointment, his own tail tip twitching, but certainly not from excitement over more head scratches. "He's so ugly, he's cute." The boy crooned to the hellhound, "Yes, you are. You're ugly, you're cute!"

The canine creature tipped its broad head for a moment before lunging forward and tacking Matthew's face with doggy kisses. It was as if it was trying to make Ivan jealous, and besides, not many people would want to kiss somebody after they make out with a hellhound. "I always thought I was more of a feline person."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Even when they awoke, the 'dog' was between them, and Matthew's arm was draped over its sleeping body. It was Irunya's fault anyway, for letting the beast into the bedroom. The canine creature picked up its head, meeting Ivan's narrowed gaze, and the demon had a sudden idea. He shambled off the bed, and tugged the curtains open enough to get through them.

"Come here, doggy," Ivan beckoned with a cheeky smile. The 'dog' tipped its head, looking stupid. "Come here!"

Cujo stood up and lumbered soon after. Ivan praised, "Yes, that is good. You know how to listen." He lead it around the balcony overlooking the lower floor, patting his legs and making cooing noises to keep the canine's attention. He stopped at a door, glancing up at the design, and his smile widened. "I have something better than my bed," he told the 'dog,' and he threw open the door, making a sweeping motion to urge it inside.

The hellhound sniffed the air, and must have took to what it scented, and bounded into the new bedroom. Ivan closed the door behind the canine creature, lowly crowing to himself as his older sister cried out in surprise at the added presence in her bedroom. "How did you get in here?!" He decided to flee back to his room before Irunya would open her door and investigate.

Matthew had just risen from sleep, evident in his slouch and a look that loathed the world when Ivan returned to his room. "Hey, what happened to Cujo?"

"Irunya is looking after him now." Ivan immediately crawled across the bed to pull him into an embrace, and smiled to himself when Matthew leaned against him.

"Are we going to that market field soon?"

"Yes, as soon as you get dressed." Ivan poked around to fiddle with Matthew's pendant. "This is not engraved yet. You can get it designed."

Matthew picked up his head, trying to be more alive, "We could design each other's thingies."

"Thingies," Ivan repeated, grinning ear to ear as Matthew sleepily rubbed at an eye.

"Vanya!" Irunya called from the hall. "Did you let Cujo into my room?" Both of them jumped at her voice's proximity to the bedroom door, waiting for her to open it and unleash the hellhound once more.

"Err, no. He saw you working the door knob, and decided to try it on his own," the demon replied, clutching Matthew closer as he tittered at his joke.

"He did not!" His sister cried. Cujo mocked her with its own deep howls. "Oh, come on, then. I'm certain you are hungry," Irunya said to the hellhound, leaving her brother to his own business.

"And you, Matthew? Are you hungry?"

Matthew raised his arms in the air in a great stretch. "To be honest, I think I'm always hungry in some way. It's from hanging around Alfred for too long."

"We will eat at the market," Ivan scooted away to allow privacy. "As soon as you dress, we will leave."

"Okay, but-" Matthew blinked in surprise as the demon vanished with a light _whoosh_. "Again?" He spun around on the bed, scanning the room, suddenly paranoid that Ivan would be hiding somewhere to spy on him. He spotted him through the double doors, overlooking the balcony with his hands gripping the railing. A small twinge of shame passed through him for thinking down on Ivan, and wondered if he would truly mind if he caught something of that sort happening.

"What do you smile about?" Ivan asked him when he crept out onto the balcony, ordained in fresh clothes.

Matthew took a moment to contemplate before a lurid smile peeked on his face. "You?"

"Oh!" Ivan exclaimed in delight when his partner stood on his toes to kiss his cheek. "Very good!"

"Yep! Are we going now?"

"You are usually not in such a hurry to start flying."

"Hunger will do that to you," Matthew reached his arm around Ivan to urge him to pick him up, and get over the dreadful flight.

"Okie dokie!" Ivan swooped down to gather him in a feasible position for a powerful lift off, soaring over the expanse of dark trees to the direction of the market. He let out short bouts of merriments at Matthew's unsubtle fright, shown in the grip against his shoulders intensifying when they dove down for a fleeting moment before suddenly snapping up again. That, mixed with the prospect of actualizing a new love, his flight was more erratic than his norm with excitement.

The landing was worse; a deep plunge to the barren ground made Ivan almost fall forward with his added weight from a rough landing. He took a deep breath to giggle almost madly, and continued to walk toward the field through the trees with a smoky trail of tangible excitement trailing after him.

Matthew picked up his head that he buried in the demon's scarf, looking around with haunted eyes. "Holy mother of maple," he groaned. "Is it over?"

Ivan loudly announced, "We are almost at the field!"

"Whoa, hey, aren't you going to put me down?"

"No, you will trip on the plants."

"Irunya told you that, didn't she?!"

"It is true, though, yes?" Ivan kept smiling. "I will set you down once we get there."

"Food first, please? There's a butcher that roasts these legs really well, and it was so good last time..."

"Then we will go to it."

The chipper attitude was contagious. Matthew stretched forward to pepper Ivan's cheek with broken kisses from the walking and his unrelenting giggling. Ivan turned his head to meet his lips, laughing a bit as well. His company let out a muffled squawk, pulling away to shout at an incoming tree. "Watch out!"

Ivan side stepped just in time, his pants brushing against the sharp bark. "Who put that there, I wonder?"

Matthew suggested, "Don't walk distracted."

"Do not distract me while I am walking." Ivan suddenly knelt down, causing his luggage to gasp and claw at his shirt.

"Asshat," Matthew hissed, and took a few experimental steps to get the blood flowing in his legs again.

"What is...an asshat?"

"You!" Matthew said, turning to the opening in the trees.

Ivan wondered if that was an odd term of endearment, but opted to _not_ question some of these odd, human phrases. He followed behind Matthew, close to hover over him dutifully. At first Matthew thought the vendors were gawking at him like last time at the sight of his wingless back, but when he glanced over to meet their eyes, he noticed they stared, frightened, at the presence beside him. He tossed a worried look over his shoulder to see if Ivan noticed, who must have, based on the way he was baring his teeth at the others in a wicked simper.

"Hey, strange one!" Some demon hollered at them. Both browsers snapped their heads in the direction of a familiar butcher. "Back so soon?"

"Hey, yeah!" Matthew smiled brightly, approaching the butcher's stall. "Do you have any more of those roasted legs?"

"Ah, you like them? That is great to hear! You...uh...like them cooked well, right?"

"Yep! That's me!" Matthew said, jumping slightly as Ivan pressed closer to him to eye the butcher blowing at the flame pit. "Do you want to sit down?"

"If that is what you want to do," Ivan mumbled, and trailed after Matthew to situate himself on one of the flat rocks facing the pit. It did not seem the vendor was as nervous around him, unlike the other demons, but every now and again, his sharp blue eyes would flicker up and immediately drop down to his task, wings twitching almost unnoticeably.

"So...uh," the butcher reached up to scratch his jaw. "What's flapping?"

Matthew asked, "What?"

"Anything interesting happening? How is Irunya doing? She's not with you today."

Matthew felt as if the questions were only directed at him. He glanced over to Ivan, but the demon was staring at the dirt, legs bouncing for some movement. "N-no, she's back at home, doing her own thing, I guess." His partner slowly turned his head, staring back at him. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I just..." Ivan shook his head. "I am a bit worked up to remain seated. I need to move around. Stay here. Andersen will make sure nothing comes to harm, yes?"

The butcher tensed, looking up at Ivan's rise with wide eyes. "Uh-huh! Don't worry, I will whack anything that comes by with this leg." He ducked his head when the other demon bustled by his perch to wander to the other stalls. The fire crackled, the only sounds between him and Matthew until the vendor shuddered. "Eugh! He is a frightening son of a banshee!"

Matthew's mouth popped open. "I suppose it depends on who you are asking."

"You. I'm asking you," Andersen flopped the leg over to the uncooked side. "I only ever saw his sisters act so...unshaken around him. Everyone else...hah! Forget about it! Just being in the same wing span of him makes my blood run cold, you know?"

"No, I don't know."

"You have not been around him much, right?"

Matthew replied quietly, yet snippy, "I have been around him plenty of time."

The demon did not seem to grasp his chilly responses. "I thought so. How come? Are you a house servant or some kind of special guard?" His eyes ran down the teen's frame, looking doubtful as his wild eyebrows quirked.

"None of the above. How's that leg doing?"

"Oh, it is getting there!" Andersen nodded at the hunk of meat approvingly. "I tried one of my own cooked the way you like it. I got to admit, at first I thought it would be like chewing ash, but nah!" He whipped his head side to side. "That was good meat, also because it was _my_ meat. Hunted and brought down with my own claws!"

"Impressive," Matthew granted. The compliment only made the butcher look more proud, as he puffed out his chest.

Andersen relaxed with a loud exhale. "So what brings you back to the Market Field so soon? Does Braginsky not feed you?"

"We're finding a blood necklace for him."

"A blood necklace? You mean a Lover's Pendant?" Andersen's nose crinkled as he turned the leg to look at its progress. "For the lord himself?"

"Yep!"

Andersen snorted, and a twisted smile bloomed across his face. "Who is the unlucky girl?"

Matthew's grin immediately dropped. "Me."

Andersen's expression fell, too, as he gawked. "What?"

"It's me," Matthew repeated tersely, "and I find myself very lucky to have someone appreciate my presence and reciprocate my feelings." After a short stare-off, he said, "I don't want it too overcooked, if you do not mind."

"Huh," Andersen blinked a few times before taking the leg from the fire and turned it around to examine its doneness. "You are not lying, are you?"

With a small sigh, Matthew reached down his shirt to pull out his necklace, and set his palm behind it to show off the pendant. "I got it without knowing what it was, or what it meant. Ivan noticed it, and told me what it signifies, and what to do with it."

Andersen still had that doubtful stare. "You...you fill the little vial inside it with your mate's blood."

"I know. I told him if he wanted to fill it, he could, but only if he had one with my blood, too." Matthew pointed at the roasted leg. "Can I have that, if you are done?"

"Sure," Andersen mumbled, surrendering the meat. He wiped his hand on his hide trousers, and then tilted his head. "You offered that to him?"

"Yes, and he accepted, thank you."

"I personally would have not done it."

Matthew paused mid-bite to flicker his eyes up to the demon.

"Ask him! Not you!" Andersen waved his hands, then submersed one into his mess of blond hair standing in all directions. "You seem like an appealing enough...uh...person for me to consider it. Now, if I did not know that Braginsky fellow, and saw him walking around, then maybe I would stop whatever I am doing and ogle for a moment or two." He shrugged, "I'm sure you would, too, right?"

"I know I did the first time I ever saw him."

"Right! Things are not like that, though." Andersen stared at his fire pit. "I may not know specifics, or first-claw accounts of anything, but from what I heard, just being by him is an act of bravery in itself."

"I must be very brave then," Matthew remarked, and took a healthy chomp from his food.

"I bet! What, you two sleep in the same bed?"

"Every night...um...every time we go to sleep, yeah."

A heavy shiver ran through the vendor. "Whoa! How much did he pay you? Does he, even? He doesn't force you to do that? You just...crawl next to him on your own?"

Matthew lowered the leg he was chewing on to dully stare at Andersen. The demon ran a hand across his face. "Next you will hear about them trying to swim around in lava."

The teen glared at the cooked meat, simmering in agitation. _He's trying to be a better person, and I would like to be there to see it happen. I just wish everyone would stop bashing him. It's not going to change how I feel._

Andersen interrupted his mental chewing, "Are you going to let your meat get cold?"

"Hmph," Matthew took an angry bite out of the roasted leg.

* * *

 _A.N.- LEG MAN._


	35. Chapter 34

In order to escape Andersen's questions of disbelief relating to his life choices, Matthew left to roam the field with the excuse to look for Ivan. It was somewhat true. Andersen weakly dissented, "Wait, I thought he said to stay here-" but he lumbered away from the area without a glance back.

It was difficult to get lost between two rows of stalls, but there was plenty of walking/flying to make up for the easy path. Matthew bustled by so many stations, they started to look the same, similar to shops on a boardwalk by the ocean. He stopped, glancing around with a dumb look plastered on his face. A pair breezed by him, and one of the demon's wings clipped him in the side of his head, jarring his glasses. He softly exclaimed, earning shocked looks, but once one of the demons got a good look at him, one of her cheeks rose in an odd smirk before they hustled away.

Matthew mumbled as he fixed his glasses into place, "Sorry would have been nice." He continued to walk, but his footsteps grew more slower and uncertain at the feeling of dozens of eyes on him. They spread goose bumps under his clothing despite the pressing heat, and he rubbed at his neck as if that could scrub away the itch.

When he glanced around the surrounding stalls, their occupants were looking to customers or in different directions but him, yet the pounding of his heart did not lessen. Matthew clenched his hands so they would not shake. Markets have never been so terrifying. _Why?_ He pondered, and took a few tense steps forward so he did not linger. Something light brushed by his bare calf, and he yipped, jumping to the side and looked down to see a pool of that strange demon smoke billowing around his feet.

Matthew glimpsed around the aisle again, expecting Ivan to be near, but this time, some of the surrounding demons were staring with unwavering eyes. He quickly twisted around on his heel to make it back to Andersen's stall, even if that would make him gloat. He watched the smoke follow him, rushing around his sneakers, and he did not see a stone to trip over. The teen shot his arms in front of himself, and got away with dirty palms. He scrambled to stand, now more embarrassed than frightened.

Another body shoved into his, and Matthew stumbled back once before digging his heel into the ground and glared. _Hello! I'm literally walking right here. How could you miss-_ A deep voice crooned, "Ooh, you smell _warm._ "

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows and stepped away from a stranger that had his eyes half opened to the stale sky. "Uh, yeah. I'm not for sell. Sorry to disappoint."

When he stepped around the demon, he seized Matthew's sleeve and a low sniggle that raised the hairs on the back of his neck. "I am not going to be the one disappointed."

Matthew yanked, swatting at the demon's hand and marched away. He nearly rammed into a she-demon with his grand escape and she snorted in disgust. "Oops, sorry."

"Only an idiot would bring a _human_ here."

"Um, yeah..." Matthew turned his head to snickers, and someone nodded to him. _Creepy._ The giggler nudged her friend and jerked a chin. _Creepy!_ He did not like to resort to it, but he may have to start throwing punches soon if these demons did not leave him alone. Getting noticed was nice, but this was getting to be too much.

 _Do. Not. Wander._

Matthew only felt guilty when it was too late. He slowed when he was suddenly blinded by a clump of black wisp and let out a little cough as he ducked away from it. It swished angrily around his lame escape, and clogged his nostrils whenever he tried to breathe. He stumbled forward, trying to smack it away, or maybe wave to help, if anybody else saw what was going on, but based on the way the bystanders were grinning, they were waiting this to happen.

"D-damn it," Matthew choked out, almost collapsing to the dusty ground, but a high pitched growl broke in front of him. The clumps of smoke ripped away, and he caught Ivan marching toward him. He coughed a few times, but straightened with a happy, "Ivan!"

Ivan only brushed by him and stopped against his back. Matthew hovered closer as he snapped at a figure shrouded in smoke, "Back off. Now."

A few more bystanders giggled, and Ivan held an arm in front of Matthew as his own cloak billowed around their feet. "You do not listen? Do you know who I am? Do not defy me in my own land!"

More uncertain laughter. Both of them glanced around, but Ivan was obviously much more furious than scared. Someone jived, "Oh, please! This isn't your territory anymore! This is neutral land now! You lost it already!"

Another from the crowd took a bold step toward them despite Ivan's growing snarls. "Yeah! Get out of here or else it will happen again!"

"Ivan-"

A vendor shouted over Matthew's plea, "Go back to your empty house you evil bastard!"

Matthew gawked at the back of Ivan's head. _What is evil amongst demons?_

Another one murmured, "I hope this doesn't affect my sales."

Footsteps scuffled in the dirt from behind the pair, and when Matthew whirled on them, Andersen was pushing by some bystanders. His usual grin was gone to a serious fix. "Hey, are you all right?"

"Um, I think so. Where'd you come from?"

"My stall? I thought I would...you know, see what you're up to so trouble didn't find you." He scratched the back of his head. "Uh, I guess I'm a bit late, huh? Maybe it's best if you two leave. You're welcome at my stand anytime, though, no matter what these guys say, all right?"

Ivan did not laugh at all. He grabbed Matthew's wrist and towed him away without another word. Matthew stumbled after him on quick legs to keep up, and called to Andersen, "Thanks for the food! It was good as always!" The creeping clouds of darkness dissipated, and the bystanders were slow to disperse as their jeers carried down the aisle of stalls.

Ivan's grip tightened against his arm, and Matthew opened his mouth from the force. "Ow, hey. Ivan!" He drug his feet against the dirt and walloped on the demon's shoulder as hard as he could. "Stop it!" When Ivan let go to twist around and glare inches from his face, he spat, "You were hurting me."

"Why did you not listen?! I told you again and again not to wander, and look what happened! What will it take for you to hear me?!"

Matthew took an involuntary step back, his mouth hanging open in disbelief at the volume of Ivan's voice. He did not know what to say as he stammered, "I-I'm sorry."

"Oh," Ivan stopped shouting to tell the sky, "You're sorry." He suddenly yelled again, "What good does apologizing do?!" Those who did not see the confrontation a little ways away flinched and scurried from the dirt path. "You were being _hunted,_ Matthew! And if I was not there to stop it-"

"All right, I get it! Stop yelling at me!"

A few murmurs rose from the bystanders as they scowled at one another. Ivan bared his teeth and jerked away to continue down the line. "Let us go. We have things to do."

Matthew dropped his eyes to the dirt as his stomach wrangled from that screaming. Not even choking on that black fog hurt as much. "No..." When Ivan glanced back from not being followed, he said louder, "No. I think we should wait."

Ivan trampled back and stopped almost against him. His voice seemed to find quiet, but this was not a welcoming hush, "What?"

"I think we should wait to get the necklaces filled." Matthew forced his chin to stay up from the furious glint in his partner's eyes. "Neither of us are obviously ready for that."

"Are you saying you do not want this? You do not want me?!"

"Of course I do, but you just screamed in my face. What kind of impression do you think that made on me? To any potential lover?"

"You did not listen to me. I do not tell you these things just to hear myself!"

Creeping nausea rose pass Matthew's throat as he forced a weak sob back. "So you're going to yell every time things don't go your way?"

"Dammit, Matvey, I-!" Ivan turned away to press a hand to his mouth and pace in a little circle. He began again in a more level tone despite the red burning his face, "This is not about me trying to get 'my own way.' You were almost killed! What would I...?" He spun away again, and Matthew tipped his head. "You cannot just...get someone to want you and then act like you are not important! I almost..." His voice did a funny dance, but he still did not turn around, "I wanted to slaughter each and every one of them who laughed at you, and they were ready for me. What good would that have done for the both of us? Do I have to beg for you to listen?"

"No, I..." Matthew stopped himself from apologizing. "You don't have to. I don't want you to beg, either. I'll listen." He quickly added, "But I am not going to obey you."

Ivan let out a big exhale and slowly faced him. His cheeks were devoid of color so quickly after his outburst, and Matthew stared at his tight-lipped smile in curiosity. _Is he...going to cry?_ It was quiet, so he could only wait and see, "I would not expect that from you, Matvey."

Matthew put on a timid smile. He had stepped on thin ice, and even if it broke, he still made it across for the second time, but he was exhausted in more ways than one. "Can we go home now?" When Ivan hesitated with a strong furrow of his brows, he added, "If you're ready to go..."

"I do not want someone else pulling you away from me while we wait."

It may be him being young and naïve, but the thought appalled Matthew. He hovered closer, away from the crowd's ever prying eyes. "If you play your cards right, that won't happen." _I'll have to keep an eye on my deck, too._

"Cards?"

"Yeah. Home now?"

Ivan curved his mouth, but that smile did not fool anyone. "Yes. We go home now."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

They lingered on top of a flat expanse cleared on a small part of the mountain to stare at his house. Ivan noted, "I am thinking it would be best just to go in through the balcony doors."

"Huh?" Matthew lifted his head from resting against Ivan's shoulder. "How come?"

"My sisters may be lurking around." Ivan crouched to prepare for one last bout of gliding, and roughly landed with weary feet, tired from a long while of walking. He nudged the doors open with his boot, and sighed from the cool air generating around his bedroom.

Matthew was relieved to be back, too, as he spread his hands, and flopped backwards onto the mattress. Then the awkward silence came crashing in the space between them. Ivan tugged off the scarf wound around himself to plop it on the foot of the bed, but he, too, was quiet.

 _I hate this. He's too far away._

"Matvey, I am going to take a shower now. So...that is where I will be."

"Ivan!"

Ivan turned around. "Yes?" He prompted when Matthew simply lay on the bed, "Where you going to say something?"

"I hate it when you yell at me. I hate it when you look so angry."

"Well, Matvey-"

Matthew babbled, "I hate it when _I_ yell at you. I hate being angry with you. I don't want this to change things between us...for the worst, I mean."

He roughly swallowed as footsteps came closer. Ivan leaned over the edge of the bed to lightly touch their lips together. He pulled away with a settled smile and his face colored pink beneath Matthew's fingertips. "I intend to keep you around for a long time. Do not chase me away, either."

"It takes two to tango, after all."

"What is..." Ivan shook his head and pulled away despite the fingers grabbing for him. "Never mind. I need to clean myself before...it gets unpleasant." He whisked to the shower station without another word, and closed the door quickly and loudly behind himself.

Matthew put his face in his hands, kicking the bed's support with his heels swinging back and forth. "Ugh! I'm just the shittiest shit to have ever been shat, aren't I?!" His palms drooped down, landing on the empty pendant around his neck. He rubbed the smooth, uncarved material through his shirt, and ceased his attacks against the innocent cot. His fingers brushed by the scarf curled at the edge of the bed, and yanked it closer to himself.

It was not exactly the epitome of fashion, especially for Hell, but it was soft and big. There were enough fur filled pillows on the bed, but none were full of Ivan like the garment was. It may have sounded gross after walking and flying and definite sweating throughout the day, but fortunately, they have not forgotten a miracle in a bottle called cologne from the surface. His eyes slid close, and he knew he could fall asleep in his odd position. He opened his eyes when he realized he should change into his pajamas to maximize his comfort and set out to do that.

Sounds of water splattering were still coming through the door, so Matthew busied himself by digging in his book bag. Neither of Ivan's sisters (or the hellhound) had stopped in yet, so the fragile peace persisted. He hoped they would let them alone at least until they had a decent rest. He turned on his phone, and his eyes widened at the odd time he was about to go to bed. Even though he had several days left until Spring Break ended, falling asleep in the early afternoon would mess up his schedule dearly. It did not matter at the moment, so he shut the device back off, preserving the battery life, and tucked it back into his book bag before setting the pack on the floor.

Matthew slumped over the edge of the bed again, resuming his previous position, balled the scarf against his chest, and closed his eyes. He began to doze off easily from all that walking and near death, which was a story he could hardly wait to tell his brother, when the shower door opened and feet pattered across the bare floor. He slowly pulled the scarf to his nose to hide his smile when the feet stopped. Ivan hovered beside the bed, evident in his soft breathing that was interrupted with a sniggle.

"You fell asleep like that? Silly Matthew," Ivan's hand tugged on the scarf clutched in his arms, but did not mean anything as he trailed upwards and brushed a clump of hair from his forehead. Matthew had to _really_ not smile this time as there was a light sigh from above him. "I think I am starting to love you, Matthew. Ha-ha, now I am being the silly one."

Matthew curled his face, really trying not to smile this time, but Ivan jerked away anyway. He peeled open his eyes, grinning from the obvious shock on his his partner's face. "Hi."

"Oh! You were awake?"

"Busted." Matthew slowly sat up, eyes going wide when they swept the demon's nude figure with a ragged towel to barely contain it all. Ivan settled on the edge of the bed to scrub at his legs, but stopped, barely reacting, as light fingers trailed down his back and up again to his shoulders. "Hey, are you all right?"

"Go on, since you are so curious."

"That wasn't really an answer," Matthew pointed out as his fingertips brushed against the trenches and scars against pale skin. Some of them were new and recent, such as the most obvious glowing stone set in Ivan's left breast, or the line running down from one of his wings, a few shades paler than the tough surrounding skin, from the time they first met. Others were faint claw marks, some long in length, others deep gouges. Nicks, scrapes, and scratches all told stories, some louder than their neighbors.

 _This is what a life of Hell looks like._

Despite that, Ivan was still warm to this day, still filling the bed with his breathing, still feeling touches dancing against his back, still struggling to not fall back into the past. Matthew pressed himself against his back, allowing the dampness from Ivan's recent shower to soak into his shirt and tried to stifle a groan from the scent of his own soaps against his skin.

"Is it worse than you thought?"

Matthew blinked open his eyes from the soft rumbling against his cheek. He peeled his face from Ivan's bare back to sweep a quick gaze at the scores across it. "Oh, the scars..."

Ivan turned his head to peek over his shoulder. "Matvey, when most people see all of this, they proceed to scream." His wings twitched on each of Matthew's sides as he let out a small laugh. "Or cry, in Irunya's case."

"Okay?" Matthew resumed to lean against his broad back. "Which one do you want me to do?" He lazily giggled as Ivan shook with more laughter. " _Mm,_ I figured they were pretty bad, but...but I honestly don't care. Almost everyone gets scars eventually."

"These are not little digs from tripping or a nasty kitty, though."

"Ooh, yes," Matthew straightened to sling his arms over Ivan's shoulders and tap his chest, "The big, bad, evil Ivan and his big, bad, evil scars warn me to stay away."

Ivan tilted his head back, and their cheeks brushed pass one another. "Don't stay away, okay?"

"It sounds like I don't have a choice in the matter." Matthew brought his arms closer to Ivan's neck, holding him captive, "Which is strange because I'm not locked in here with you, you've locked yourself in here with me."

The demon's tail curled beneath Matthew's legs and shook with delight as he chortled madly. "Good, you stay here." Before Matthew could tell him he was planning on it, his voice dropped to a hiss, "Stay here forever and ever and ever!"

Matthew acted verbosely disgusted with an ugly snort. "Ugh, Ivan!"

The laughter stopped. "I am being serious, Matthew. Stop worrying about those silly human responsibilities and become my everything, yes?"

The rhythmic scratching against Ivan's scalp ceased, much to his lost. "I...I don't know, Ivan. Not yet, at least. It's too soon. I want to finish school, and my dad..."

"I will not stop asking."

Matthew lightly sighed against his back and his gentle itching picked up once more. "I know. Maybe there'll be a day when you stop asking...for good reasons!"

"Yes, of course. I try to hold myself back..."

"Uh huh. Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"You should get some pants on."


	36. Chapter 35

"You said you would be back at the end of Spring Break!" Francis nearly shouted like a madman. "It is the day _after_ Spring break ended!"

"Dad, I'm aware. They don't have calendars in Hell. I'm sorry, but I'm here now," Matthew shook his hands in a poor attempt to quell his father's near hyperventilation. He had just walked through the door, Ivan following soon after, and plopped his book bag on the island counter when Francis dropped whatever he was doing in the living room, based on the clattering of an unknown object to the wooden floor, and stormed into the kitchen.

Ivan twitched, squashing the instinct to leap in front of the boy when his father rushed over to him, grabbed the sides of his head, and planted rough smooches all around Matthew's face. The disguised demon let out a low whine at the ignored dissents to the overbearing affection. Francis then threw his arms around his son's shoulders, sobbing, "Don't make me worried like that!"

Matthew was too kind to not hug him back, but sent a silent plea of help over his shoulder. Ivan glanced to the doorway where Alfred suddenly slid into view from his socks slipping on the hard floor. "Mattie, dude! I heard Dad freaking out!"

"Yeah, hi-"

His brother bounded forward to embrace him, too, even when Francis was still there. Their father broke out in hearty chuckles, but Matthew only made a weak noise of suffocation. "H-help..."

Ivan exclaimed, "You are killing him!"

"He's not dead!" Alfred dissented, but he and Francis let go of Matthew so he could be reacquainted with air. He patted his brother between the shoulder blades too roughly. "How was it, bro? You smell a little overcooked."

"I do not!"

Francis ran his hand down his hair. "Are you sure you are well?"

"I'm not in pieces."

Alfred asked, "Nothing tried to swallow your soul?"

"You did not get bitten, right?" Their father put a concerned hand on his shoulder. "You always 'ave to be suspicious of bites!"

Ivan coughed to cover a light snicker, and squinted at the ceiling lights.

"Everything is fine, Papa. _I'm_ fine. I'm back, aren't I?"

"Unless you are a very well made 'ologram...then I guess so," Francis gave his son another, quicker embrace, and sighed deeply when he pulled away. "Both of you make me worry to much to be 'ealthy."

Alfred drew in a loud inhale. "Oh, what? Don't put me into this!"

"I have many reasons to!" His father retorted, putting his hands on his hips. "Matthew tells me what is 'appening before he leaves, but I 'ave to wait until a call from the school that tells me what you are keeping from me!"

"Dad...it's nothing..."

"Nothing?! You used to be the star pupil! Your grades are going to plummet _weeks_ before graduation!"

Matthew scooted away, eyes flickering between his brother and father as they bickered about the hoard of untouched homework in Alfred's book bag. "I...uh...got to unpack my stuff."

"Yes, you do that," Francis dismissed him. Alfred huffed, rolling his eyes as their dad snipped, "I do not care about this whole other creatures ordeal! You 'ave things to do right 'ere and now! You are my sons, and I will keep fretting over you two as long as I can!"

"How did this suddenly get pinned on me?"

Ivan slunk away unnoticed as well, eagerly clamoring up the stairs after the other twin. Matthew glanced over his shoulder as he walked down the hall at the sounds of approaching footsteps and announced with a smile, "There you are. Did you want to do anything while you are here?"

"Eat pancakes?"

"That's a priority!"

"Ah, but Matthew, I am not staying on the surface long."

"Huh?" Matthew spun around from opening his bedroom door, and the surprise on his face felt stupid. "H-how long were you thinking of staying?"

"I will stay with you over the night, but once I get some food, I will leave. I need to attend to..." Ivan gently swiped a hand over Matthew's cheek, grinning, "demon things."

Matthew tittered, "Demon things? That's a bit suspicious." He tipped his head toward the touches and grumbled, "You're seriously going away? How long?"

"Matvey, we spent an entire week together in Hell, not to mention how long I have been up here _before_ we went down there. If you sound so sad, then I will not be able to get things done."

 _Good!_ "What kind of things?"

Ivan hesitated, studying the crease between Matthew's knitted eyebrows. "Nothing that is dangerous, or I should say, nothing that should be dangerous. You know about the business with the lords and land owners, yes?"

"Irunya explained the basics of it."

"How I used to have...a lot?"

Matthew pressed closer in worry. "Yeah, I heard about that, too."

"I want it back," Ivan gave his hands an excited squeeze. "I can have it back, but not like before. I want everyone to be happy, and there will be no fighting..." His momentarily distant gaze flickered back to Matthew. "I must look into history so it does not repeat itself. That is why I am leaving." He took a steadying breath before softly declaring, "To right my past so I can live now."

"Whoa! That's great to hear!" Matthew vigorously nodded, and an uncertain grin bloomed on his face. "Yeah!"

Ivan bobbled his head up and down, too. "Yes! My sisters then can have their lives for the better, and everyone will be friends! Would you like that, Matvey?"

"Of course! I..." Matthew let out a content sigh as he brushed his fingers across Ivan's cheek. "I want you to be happy, but I want you to make other people happy, as well. They matter, too."

Ivan squished their foreheads together, causing the both of them to giggle like idiots. "Yes, yes, I will try again, but I cannot have it all unless I have you. You stay with me and pull me back when I go astray, okay?"

"Silly demon," Matthew murmured against his jaw, "I'm not here to look pretty." He pulled away with another furrow of his eyebrows. "Um, when are you planning to start all of this?"

"I need to open my lands again, first. They lay abandoned and without other demons for a long time, which I will have to speak with the surrounding lords to give them the 'heads up',' and that will take a good amount of persuading. So, it will be a bit of a wait. In the meanwhile," Ivan's hands shifted to clasp Matthew's cheeks, "I would like you to think this over plenty in my absence. This is no little thing. I need you to be absolutely certain if you want to be with me on this."

"Be with you? Ivan, I would _always_ want to be with you."

"So would I, but you have a life here, on the surface. You are uncertain you are ready to leave everything you have now."

"Oh..." It was no longer sunshine and smiles. Matthew looked to their feet and the hands against his cheeks moved to brush back the hair hanging in his face. "What if I chose to not come with you? Would you be mad?"

"Mad? Ha!" Ivan slung his arms over Matthew's back and tightly squeezed. "Ha-ha! You say that I have trapped myself with you, but I do not think so! I go wherever you go! You won't get rid of me so easily!"

Not letting him have all of it, Matthew wedged his hands beneath Ivan's armpits to squeeze back. "What are you going to do about it, then?"

The tough love eased up so Ivan could toss a hand through his partner's hair again. "I already said wherever you go, I will go. Allow me to let you in a little secret," their noses were almost touching, and he could see his own outline in Matthew's glasses. "By technical terms, the land belongs to Irunya, as she is the oldest. Yet she allowed me to pursue my own interests, surrendering her place to me. Wonderful, yes?"

"Oh, that was supposed to be a secret?"

Ivan was good at covering shock, if he was shocked at all. "If you decided not to take up this offering, then I will make sure to visit you often."

"Wait, then you would have to constantly go through the sewers, and leave everything unattended..."

"No, Irunya would be there to take over."

"What if she wants to permanently take over? Would you step down?"

Ivan's hair tussling picked up pace as he gushed, "You think of everything! If that happens, have a place for me to stay!"

"You would let her-" Matthew squeezed his eyes shut when his glasses went ajar, and Ivan only laughed about it, still fondling his hair. "Okay, hey, quit it, you're messing up everything!" Only more laughter to his weak words, so he grabbed Ivan's arm and yanked it down pass his waist, and they bumped chests with Ivan cutting off to an exclamation of surprise. Using his other hand to tap Ivan's nose, he scolded, "I said quit it, and listen to me. I'll think about it. A lot, and who knows? Maybe after I graduate school everything will be clear."

Ivan made a small grunt, like he did not think about it a lot himself, too concerned with giving Matthew's lips his most thought. Matthew released his arm to squeeze his shoulders in encouragement, before pulling away with a shared sigh. "Let's go to bed. You have lots of walking and flying to do tomorrow, huh?"

"And the next day, and the next. Yes." They smooched loudly one last time before Matthew's bedroom door shut.

~.~

~Hellyeahman~

~.~

"Is there anything you would like to drink with your breakfast?" Francis offered Ivan, pouring milk for his sons as they downed their pancakes. Matthew was putting his brother to shame for once with his intake, while Alfred mostly pricked his fork at his half eaten stack.

"How about some vodka?"

Francis let out a line of chuckles, swishing his hand. "Oh, stop it you!"

Matthew claimed, "Try getting Dad to give up his alcohol is like Alfred trying to stop saying something stupid."

His brother let out a short, dry laugh. "Ha, real funny."

Ivan did not laugh. "Could I still get some?"

Francis' tone grew scolding as he wagged a finger. "I am not having drunkards stumbling around my house so early in the morning!"

Alfred remarked against a fork-full of pancake, "More like you don't want a drunk demon on your hands."

Ivan calmly fired back, "As if a single glass could get me close to losing myself."

Francis grimaced, glancing between the two. "How about some milk, or orange juice? Breakfast beverages, _oui?_ "

"The orange drink will suffice."

He nodded, getting out another cup. The kitchen was speechless, and only the clink and scratches of silverware against plates filled the silence. Francis set the glass beside the other man before whisking back to the large stack of leftover pancakes to pick out some for himself. The stool he dragged out from beneath the counter groaned against the tiled floor, and he situated himself with a noisy sigh before digging into his meal. He raised an eyebrow, looking over to his younger son propped on the counter with an elbow, dragging his fork through a pile of syrup rather than eating what was left on his plate. " _Ça va,_ Alfred?"

Alfred blinked a few times and straightened, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just...not that hungry."

Francis reached over to press the back of his hand against Alfred's forehead. "You do not feel warmer than usual."

Alfred jerked away, and almost fell out of his seat when he went to turn around. "Uh, because I'm not sick? Seriously, I only said I wasn't that hungry." He trudged for the trash can to scrap away his half destroyed breakfast. Matthew could cry from the lost.

"If you insist," their father followed his retreating figure with a skeptical look. "'owever, if you do not feel well, you can take tomorrow off from school." His eyes landed on Matthew. "For you, Alfred, although one more day should be enough. Your brother has missed plenty of school anyway."

"Papa!"

"Do not 'Papa' me. You had more than enough absent days, and you know it," Francis jabbed his fork in his son's direction. Matthew slumped in his stool. Alfred's dissipating snicker did not help matters as he fled upstairs.

Matthew elbowed his neighbor. "It's Ivan's fault."

Ivan let out an offended gasp. "It is not!"

"Oh-ho? What is your attendance record like?" Francis put a hand beneath his chin, activating investigator-Dad-mode. "I will not be 'appy if you are giving my boys inappropriate thoughts."

"With his frequency to school?" Ivan shook his head, avoiding his eyes by nudging a chunk of pancake with his fork. Matthew popped a piece of his meal in his mouth to choke back a giggle. "My attendance is enough for me to avoid confrontation with the educators."

Francis narrowed his eyes, still smirking. "If you say so."

"I do!"

They polished their food more eagerly than Alfred had, and lingered to make small talk. Francis never brought up Hell, what they have done, or snipping how his son is in one piece. He was probably saving it until Ivan left. Matthew plotted to run upstairs and flee into his bedroom before those questions would start.

Ivan declared after every crumb was eaten, "I should leave soon. I have the errands to do."

Francis said, as if surprised, "It was...pleasant to have you." He held a hand out. The other man stared at it in vague wonder.

Matthew gave him a nudge in the lower back. "Shake his hand."

"Oh," Ivan grabbed Francis' wrists and gave it a few waggles.

"Err, yes, very well," Francis cradled his offended hand to his chest.

"What? I shook it, did I not?"

"Ah, ha-ha, we will be seeing you again soon, _oui?_ "

Ivan directed his statement to his son, "I will be back."

Both Francis and Matthew claimed at the same time, "I would hope so." They exchanged mischievous grins.

Francis lightly laughed behind his hand, "Not even my Alfred enjoys my food as much as I have seen you do." He threw a glance behind his shoulder to the messy kitchen. "Look at this! Seems like I will be at this for a while..." He glanced at the pair out of the corner of his eye and pointedly cleared his throat.

"Come on," Matthew tugged on Ivan's shirt sleeve, urging him out of the kitchen as his father's back was turned. They escaped out the front door, stumbling out onto the front porch as they joined in an embrace and fit of laughter. He made sure to squeeze Ivan just as much as he was doing to him, both breathing in one another within their allotted time. "I'm going to miss you."

 _He's one of my few friends-on-the-surface, and he's leaving!_

"That is good," the words were hot in his ear. "I do not want to be the only one."

Matthew sighed, eyes fluttering closed as he allowed himself to weaken against Ivan's chest.

The arms behind his back tightened their catch at his slump. "Matthew?"

Matthew blurted, "I want to come with you," but then a tiny thought, probably that pesky common sense still persisting despite everything squashing it, _But I just got home. I got to see Papa and Alfred again._

Ivan only seemed amused at the uncertainty flickering across his face. "Stay here and worry about your school and family. I will do the annoying work."

"Ha, like school isn't?" Matthew turned his head to kiss Ivan's cheek. "Bring back good news."

"Yes, and you make sure to take care of yourself, okay?"

"Oh, yes, sir."

Their noses bumped and they peeled into mad giggling. "Pulling my leg until the last moment, Matvey?"

Matthew stood on his toes to kiss him, but was smiling too damn much. "Quit making me laugh. I want a goodbye kiss."

"A kiss for that?" Ivan leaned his head back, teasing with a cheeky grin. "You have goodnight kisses, and good morning kisses. So many kisses!"

Matthew jumped up and down on his toes. "So what?"

"Is that you spoiling for a fight, Matvey?"

"If you don't-" Matthew immediately shut up from Ivan squishing his lips against his own. _Ah, there it is._ His eyes fluttered shut as hot breath hit his tongue, and his hands went to clamp onto Ivan's shoulders, or anywhere, really, but they never grabbed anything. He furrowed his eyebrows, eyes still closed from the moment as he patted the air. _What the-_ Matthew blinked open his eyes, and his arms drooped to his sides from the absence in front of him. "Wha...huh? Ivan!" He scurried to both sides of the porch to glance down the street, but he was in his own company once again. "How'd...are you kidding me?!"

His thoughts were not much better at forming coherent sentences. _How did he...? What? What! But that jewel! Unless...what the Hell am I even going on about?_

Francis pushed up the stubborn kitchen window with a grunt and poked his head into the world. He sang, "Oh, _Matthieu!_ I only have two hands!"

Matthew slowly turned his head to the direction of his father's voice, but did not really look at him. "Um...right. I'll be in." Still, he could not stay agitated with all that pesky hope bringing a spring to his step. Whatever Ivan was planning, it was big!

His father had seen that look that was on Matthew's face so many times, he would have lost count if he ever started keeping track of them. However, he let his son to simmer in his thoughts. The water splattering against the sink covered Francis' poorly stifled laughter as he peeked over his shoulder, watching the teen drag a wad of paper towels over the same spot on the island counter for a solid minute.

" _Matthieu,_ I think you should check up on your brother." Francis had to repeat his son's name to get his head to snap up. "He said he felt fine, but you know 'ow he is."

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Throw out your rags."

"Oh, right." Matthew strode up the steps on all fours, like he done as a child, and ambled to the closest door. He lightly rapped on the white panels, leaning closer to call out, "Al? Are you all right in there?"

He waited a few breaths for his brother's reply, and knocked again after a sting of silence. "I'm coming in," he warned, but only popped his head through the opening and glanced around the tidied room. "Wow, you straightened up. Al?"

Alfred was not present, so Matthew retracted back into the hall, the door clicking quietly as he closed it. He passed the bathroom, pausing a moment to peek at the bottom of the door to find light of occupation, but there was none. His brother was not in their father's bedroom either, which he checked in case of an odd chance, and the same confusion made him let out a short grunt at being the only one in his own room.

"You were _just_ here...right?"

A noisy thud resonated against the side of the house. "Whoa, Al?"

Matthew shoved open his door and rushed into his brother's bedroom. The window was open, a minor detail he had missed before, so he stuck his head out of the opening. Alfred was sitting with his ankles crossed, seemingly relaxing on the roof above the rear door and his gaze was on the distant trees peeking out of the neighborhood.

"Uh...Al?"

"Whoa!" Alfred's arms flailed, but he leaned forward and caught himself on the house before he would tumble off of the roof. "Dude, what are you doing?"

"Um, I think I should ask that. Get back inside before you break your leg! Or your ribs...again."

"Yeah, sure!" Alfred scuffled around until his palms were against the pale yellow paint and scooted to the edge of the roof. "This time, Artie isn't going to be here to save me." He looked to the sky again, "Isn't that right?!"

Matthew smacked the side of the house to urge his brother closer, and offered a hand when he managed to stretch to the window sill and duck inside his bedroom. "That's what this is about?"

Alfred dug at the back of his head, not turning to face his brother. He then spun around and tossed his arms out, "Yeah, so what?"

"Jeez, what happened when I was gone? I've only been like, a week...or maybe a little more." Matthew shook his head and plopped on the bed. "Come on, let's sit." _Therapy time._

Alfred did not bother to sit. "Arthur left!"

"Uh, he left?"

"Yep! That's it! Gone to do angel business or whatever! No phone calls, didn't even answer any of my texts. What the Hell, man!"

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows in mild skepticism. "Are you sure he said nothing at all? He never mentioned anything before?"

Alfred stiffened from all his bouncing and arm gestures. "Well, he did mention something like, a couple weeks ago? Something about leaving for a 'little while' to...to uh, make sure everything is on track, or whatever he said. He only mentioned it in passing though!" He sighed and slouched his shoulders. Matthew tried to be polite and not snicker. "I just wish he told me when he was leaving."

"Al, he may have been called in the heat of the moment. You know, like you said, 'Angel stuff.' I don't think we'll ever really know what that exactly means."

"Yeah...yeah, I know. It'd still be cool to help him or whatever."

Matthew took a quick moment of silence to think about all that crazy stuff Ivan has to do just to get his lands running smoothly again. "I'm sure it would, but sometimes it's better to let whoever knows what they're doing to do what they need to do."

"Like...what you and Ivan do?"

"Yes. There are some things he may never understand about the surface, and I'm sure I'm going to bump into more things that brush me the wrong way."

"Wait, more things-"

" _Anyway,_ it's the same with you and Arthur. It's great that you two are legit friends, and hopefully working for something more for later on in your lives, but sometimes..." Matthew struggled for something intelligent to say. "Sometimes he has to do what he has to do."

Alfred busted in laughter, and his brother let out embarrassed stammers. He held up a hand and grinned, "Dude, it's all right. I get what you mean. I think...I definitely know that I need to get him his space. Everyone needs their space, come on, but I think a good way to prove that all this is tender love crap is to show him that I'm not hyped up or dependent or whatever of his 'angel juice.' Still could have called me, though."

"Ew!" Matthew wagged his head side to side. "Don't call it that! Ick!"

"Hey, man! You got what I mean! You're not all eloquent either!"

"Wow, big word!"

Alfred marched to the bed, and Matthew automatically squealed and leaped away. "Don't make me come for those ears!"

Matthew clamped his palms over his ears and sprinted out of the room. "Eek! Go away!"

Alfred's feet thumped after him. "Chase you downstairs! To the X-box!"

"You're on!"

"I'm player 1!"

"Not if I get there first!"

 _You ass._


	37. Chapter 36

The final quarter of the school year begrudgingly arrived. So did the panic of finals, and a fatal disease known as senioritis, but Matthew had that since halfway through his eleventh year. He could see the strain in the younger students' and even the teachers' eyes with the obvious arrogance to their lessons. It even infected Alfred, who had often brightened the halls with his smile and chipper attitude, although that has been slowly going downhill ever since Matthew returned from Hell.

The boys sat at their usual spot in the cafeteria, eating their usual 'food,' and the usual conversations yapped around them. Alfred tipped his head back, and released a drawn out groan as if he was dying. "Ugh, I'm so done with this, and we still have a month left!"

Matthew munched on a bag of chips in which he nearly got into a fight with a vending machine over, crunching in thought of what to say. "You'll cry at graduation."

Alfred's head found a normal position. "No, I won't."

"You want to bet?"

"No way, man! You'll make me cry just so you can win!"

Matthew lightly challenged, "So what?"

His brother shook his head, dismissing the lame threat. "I could be buying ice cream right now. Or playing X-box, but no. My ass is getting pinched in all sorts of unsavory places by this chair instead."

"You sound miserable."

"Oh!" Alfred's voice jumped funnily. "Do I? Bummer..."

"Hey...really." Matthew furrowed his eyebrows as his brother's head slumped, chin pressing against his own chest. "Alfred, are you all right?"

Alfred snapped his head up with a cheap grin and claimed, "Yeah! It's just a little hot in here! Woo!" He pinched the thin fabric of his shirt, and repeatedly flapped it against himself. "Guess it's nicer than freezing, though!"

Matthew narrowed his eyes. "You're such a liar."

"Dude, I'm not lying."

"Yeah, you are."

"Wow, okay, just because I deny it, that doesn't mean it's false."

"Sure, but you always look constipated whenever you lie, and you're looking pretty constipated right now." Matthew lifted his eyebrows. "Unless...you really are?"

"That's a little TMI, don't you think?"

Matthew squinted at his brother. "If that's the truth, then yes."

Alfred copied the gesture, but soon ducked his head to look behind himself. Some students yapped their heads off as always, but the twins could easily pick out many that were slumped in their seats and over the tables. Even Hell was a luxury vacation in comparison to this place! He turned back, but kept his eyes on his tray as he picked at his vegetables. Matthew reached over and pressed his palm against his forehead, but his brother jerked away. "Whoa!"

"You could be sick!"

Alfred insisted, "I'm not sick!"

"You should take some cold pills when you get home."

"I'm telling you, I'm not sick! Stop asking me that!"

"Well, if you would tell the truth, maybe I would start believing you!" One of Matthew's hands shot out to snatch a tater tot from Alfred's lunch tray. Alfred only watched it get mashed in his brother's mouth with a constipated expression. "Did you get into a fight with Dad?"

"Not really." Alfred quickly added, "Actually, I mean, well, there's the business with school, but it's so lame, you know? I thought twelfth grade was supposed to be the easiest year! You know, chilling out and saying goodbye to everyone? That's why I worked so hard the previous years, but nooooo!"

"Hm," the babbling told Matthew that was not the reason. It was a good tactic, and everyone else might have been distracted by the hand gestures and voice flaunts, but he was not fooled. No, he has been watching this ever since he was able to sit up in his crib! "Did Arthur text you back yet?"

Alfred ceased his blabbering to drag a tot through a disgusting amount of ketchup. "Nah. It's whatever, man."

"Whatever?"

"Yeah." Alfred looked up, but his eyes were gazing through the windows behind his brother instead of staring at him. His mouth twitched in a weak smile, aware of Matthew's steady glower without having to meet his eye. "It's all over my face, isn't it?"

"There are very few things that can make you like this. _He_ is one of them. What happened, or what's going on?"

"It's just...stupid stuff." Alfred cupped a hand over his eyes and swished the other one in the air. "There's other stuff I should be worrying about."

"Al, if it bothers you so bad, then don't you think it's at least a _little_ important?"

Alfred set his palms on the table and bemoaned, "I miss him, man!"

"Huh? Oh," Matthew could not help a grin, but it quickly died off when his brother took a hand from his face and he could see how pink Alfred was growing. "Hey, are you going to cry? I have tissues-"

"It's just a high school crush, bro. Everyone gets those. Not important."

Matthew snapped to face him from digging around in his pockets. "Not important? What has gotten into you, Alfred? You were so optimistic about this!"

"He was right, Mattie. I was just zapped up full of his angel energy, and now that he's gone...it's gone...and I feel like...I'm an ass more than ever."

"No, hey! I only call you an ass because I love you!" Matthew swayed side to side to get a good look at Alfred's face, but his brother just put his other hand back over his eyes. "If you're going to cry-"

Alfred roared, "I'm not crying!" His tone then dropped to a near whimper, "It wouldn't be fair. I shouldn't cry. He was right."

Matthew dug in his pockets and slapped some napkins on the table. "Here! Take!"

After nonchalantly peeking through his fingers, Alfred snatched the tissues and shoved them to his face. "This is lame!"

"Oh, stop. It's not lame to cry. It's healthy. When was the last time you even cried?"

"Bro!"

"What are you even lamenting about? Look around you! A lot of other people are all drained! It's not just you!"

Alfred prodded his eyes and affixed his glasses to look at his friends sprinkled around the room. The ones that hung by Arthur the most. He slouched, sticking a hand to his forehead and kept his distant gaze on his untouched tater tots. "I don't want to like him because of this glow crap. I want to like him because I want to like him. Ugh, I should've just gone out with that pretty girl from History class when she asked."

Matthew tapped his palm to his forehead. "Seriously?! Then that alone should tell you that you don't like him just because he's an angel!" When his brother kept moping, he reached over and shook his arms. "Listen! I thought I just had a stupid 'high school crush' on Ivan, and it was embarrassing and scary to come to terms with my feelings, but now we're together, and I'm the happiest I have ever been. With him! So, don't say this isn't important, because everything has to start from somewhere!"

"Oh, Mattie, I'm glad for you. I really am!" Alfred picked up his head again and gave his eyes a quick swipe. "Even if it don't feel like it right now. Ha-ha." He pressed his fingertips to his temples and grunted. "Okay, gotta bounce back. Woo. Come on, man, stop crying."

Matthew raised his eyebrows.

"I gotta pull through this. If I can beat this, then that just proves everything on my part!"

"See? Told you!"

Alfred pointed at his brother's lunch. "Are you going to eat that?"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Matthew jogged home after dismissal, away from that school, away from those kids, away from the mundane life that threatened him again. He slowed when he reached his front lawn with an exhilarated exhale from the tingle in his legs. He was hoping to buy at least a few minutes to himself to fish his cellphone from his back pocket and started to scroll through his contact list.

There was a name and number he had, but never used. Yet it was there for emergency, and Matthew was starting to desperately need it. His legs bounced, unable to keep still for once as he put the device to his ear and listened to the ugly droning. "Come on, come on. It's me. Nothing against me at the moment, right?"

Just when he thought the rings would fall into that voicemail spiel, something crackled on the other line. There was no typical 'Hello,' probably for Matthew to answer first. He was still exuberant to be released from school for the day, and that little exercise was a little pick-up, too, so his voice was unusually loud and full of air. "Hey, Arthur!"

Arthur sounded like he held the phone far away from him. "Oh, good grief..." Suddenly he was louder, closer, "Persistent aren't you?! Using your brother's phone to get to me! Well, I am not having any of it! Good day!"

 _Seriously?! I get mistaken for my brother even during a_ phone _conversation?!_ "Wait, wait, Arthur! It's me! It's me, Matthew! I'm using my own phone, okay? It's me!"

"Oh. Why, now I am dreadfully embarrassed. Is there something you need, Matthew?" Arthur's tone snapped off to an angry grovel again, "Wait, I swear, if your brother has gotten you to call me for him-"

"No! He didn't! I'm calling you _because_ of him, but not because he asked me to. He's not even here right now. I'm doing this on my own."

"Fine, I guess. What do you want?"

Matthew giggled and swiped some hair from his glasses to straighten himself out. "I was wondering when you were coming back."

"I'm sure that's the case."

"Okay, there's no need to be rude. I'm sure you know by now Alfred has gotten a little antsy, but this is _me_ asking _you_ if you plan on returning soon."

"I have _returned_ to Heaven for my duties. My time 'hanging out' with you boys is my free time, remember that, Matthew."

Matthew scrunched his face. "Yep. Whenever that is, I hope it's soon. Al is driving me to start pounding my head into a wall!"

Arthur let off an irritable sigh from the other line. "He misses my aura."

"He who what how now?"

"My aura!" Like repeating it would make Matthew understand. "My aura...it has to do with me being around the same humans for extended periods of time. They tend to become...oh, how do I explain this? All those students have been exposed to my luminescence for weeks now. They are hooked to it, bathed in it, if you wish to say."

Matthew's eyebrows knitted together. "So you're telling me that all my classmates are going through withdraws? Angel withdraws, because you haven't been in school for a few days?"

"For a lack of a better way to put it, yes. It is not as if I intentionally do it. It just...happens. We, um...thrive off of goodwill, and certain types of your kind are _excellent_ points of that. However, it is not one sided. It...we reflect this attitude for worship and to maintain ourselves, and some people start to...frenzy from it. Does this make a lick of sense to you?"

"Sort of," Matthew admitted. He glanced down to make sure he was not going into a frenzy. "I'm not feeling it, though. At least I don't think I am?"

"I am not entirely certain why not. Some people are not affected. Perhaps their hearts are closed and their faith is little. Perhaps it is that...ahem, creature you prance around with."

Matthew sourly agreed, "Yeah, maybe." _That's not weird at all._ "Wait, usually people don't see your glow, even with this...frenzy-party thing. Is it because of you and Ivan hanging around, that Alfred and I can-"

"Only if something like this does not happen..." Arthur whispered, "Why did I even bother to think Alfred would be different? That poor boy. You...please tell him it is not his fault. It's all on me, all right? I don't think I should come back."

Matthew silently steamed for a moment before bursting, "How the Hell can you assume that is the sole reason why Alfred is acting this way? Is that it? Because he's going though angel withdraws, and not because he legitimately likes you as a person?!"

"What?! Oh, what do you know about my people and love? You have fallen into a tizzy with a demon!"

 _Ooh, you little-_ "I know when two people have the hots for each other, they should stop lamenting to the world, and hook up!"

"Neither of you understand. This is _very_ serious business for us!"

"Exactly the problem. It's not supposed to be business. There are all these love songs about looking into your heart and soul and what not for good reasons! Maybe you should listen to some of them sometime. Ah, ah, no," Matthew was done being spoken over, "If you are going to keep doubting him, or yourself, or each other, or whatever, you're never going to get anybody! _Ever!_ My brother may act like an idiot but he's a freaking ray of sunshine, and he's finally thinking about someone else's interests besides his own, so you better not break his heart!"

"Wha... _me?_ Break _his_ heart?!"

Matthew shouted unnecessarily loud into the phone, "Yes, you heard me! Don't act like you didn't!"

" _Urgh!_ I should come down there and-"

"You should! See you soon, Arthur! Goodbye!" Matthew repeatedly smashed the red button on the screen until the timer blinked. He coughed once from all that hollering, and although his chest felt a bit shaky, he could take on anybody now!

A distant voice cried out, "Mattie!"

Matthew gripped his phone tighter, and slowly turned to the direction of his brother's call. He braced himself with a light, "Here we go."

"Mattie," Alfred droned out once he was closer to his brother. The bottom of his sneakers scraped on the rough sidewalk with each sluggish step, annoying Matthew even though he just got done being annoyed. "Dude, why'd you leave me all alone in the dismissal crowd?"

The lie came easy. "I could not find you, so I went home. I figured you would catch up...eventually."

Not even a lost puppy would not have such depression on its face compared to Alfred. He may be smiling, but the truth was all in those sad, sad, blue eyes. "Who were you talking to?"

"Oh," Matthew glanced down to his phone before slipping it into his back pocket again, "you saw that?"

"You were like," Alfred flailed one of his arms to demonstrate, "angry?"

 _Hell yeah!_ Matthew uneasily snickered. "It was just Ivan checking in. I was telling him he better not fall into a pit of lava or else I would be angry."

"Yikes! What's he been up to, anyway? I haven't seen him creeping around for a while."

"Demon stuff, I guess."

Alfred lifted his eyebrows. "Uh huh?"

Matthew suggested, "Let's head inside. I want to sit down and relax. How about some racing games?"

"Whatever you want, dude."

"Okay..." Matthew warned under his breath as he bustled up the walkway, "It would be nice of you both to stop acting like you have no reason to live."

Alfred called, "What?"

"What do you mean what?"

"I thought you said something."

Matthew gave his brother a bewildered look. "I didn't."

"Oh."

They plopped their binders and back bags on the living room's coffee table, falling into the couch with simultaneous sounds of relief. Matthew announced, "One day down, four more to go 'til the weekend."

"Yay," Alfred had a little laughing fit. "Hee-hee...heh, I can't wait to never have to do homework again. It's like we don't get enough schooling at school, so they send us home to school ourselves!"

"I know, Al. I know," Matthew patted his brother's hand before leaning over to grab the gaming controllers. "Come on, now. Get your groove back into play!"

Alfred reached for the remote to turn on the TV before leaning forward to peel off his sneakers. "Ugh, some ninth grader stomped on my freaking foot at the end of eighth period like he was playing Dance Dance Revolution."

Matthew snatched a controller while his brother was distracted, and started their game's loading screen. "Are you okay?"

"I will be, I think. Sheesh, I used to love that place, but now..."

"Senioritis," was all Matthew said.

The conversation dropped in favor of their game for a few moments, until Alfred realized he was staring at wrong screen. His vehicle was still at the start line where it was skittering in circles. "Oh, what?!" He stared at his controller as the stats screen popped up, prompting Matthew to wave his arms in the air, tasting sweet victory. "Hey, how come you gave me the second player controller?"

Matthew ceased his miniature dance. "You just noticed now?"

"I want a rematch!"

"Then you better be paying attention to your own side this time."

"Whatever, man!" Alfred loudly cleared his throat as his brother settled back onto the sofa. "So...um...how are you and that demon dude going?"

Matthew gripped his gaming remote tighter. "We're fine."

"You're fine?"

"Yeah!" Matthew grinned, but it soon faltered when a creeping emptiness reminded him that he would have to sleep alone that night, and the next, and the next. "Things are going great."

"Are you fine or are you great? Those can mean really different when you're...you know...got a thing going on."

"Al, I thought you couldn't care less about Ivan."

"I still care about my bro!"

Matthew could not help but smile again.

Alfred continued, "Besides, that was a while ago. He's...a cool guy, I guess. Still gives me the creeps, though."

"I wouldn't describe Ivan anywhere near cool, if you know what I mean."

His brother let out a sharp, almost dry laugh. "Ha! Yeah, I get it. 'Cause he's a demon. From Hell. With lots of fire and possibly sharp objects. Yep. That's him!"

"I won again," Matthew pointed out. Alfred did not react, his mouth pressing in a thin line as if he were constipated. _Maybe he actually is having toilet trouble!_ "Go ahead," he said, and set his controller on the coffee table. "I know you want to say something."

"No, nope. I'm not that kind of guy."

"Come on, Alfred."

Alfred set his controller down, too, and gave his brother a guilty look. "I was coming up the stairs the day you came back, and I heard you guys talking. I wasn't purposely eavesdropping! I was just," he made climbing motions, "walking up and heard yous."

"I get it," Matthew said gently. "What about it?"

"It sounded like pretty heavy stuff, dude! I knew you two would have to figure out some way to do the whole, 'I live in a different layer of earth than you, who's going to go where' thing, but jeez, stuff about ruling lands and righting what's wrong...that's big!"

"Tell me about it. It's a lot to think about."

"Mattie, you can talk to us about this!" Alfred's expression soured. "Well, maybe not Dad, but you can talk to me!"

"Thanks, Al, I'll keep that in mind."

Alfred did a double take as he reached out for his controller again. "What do you mean? Aren't we talking about this now?"

"Ivan isn't coming back for at least a few weeks." Matthew grimaced from saying the words aloud.

"So you're procrastinating."

"I-I'm just living in the moment right now!"

"You're procrastinating!" Alfred accused. "You're freaking procrastinating what you're going to do with the rest of your life!" He clamped his hands on the sides of his head. "Oh my god. I heard 'waiting' to head off to college, or even pretending you don't have to go to the bathroom, but this!" He stammered, hands flourishing to demonstrate what he could not say. "Wow, Mattie."

"I am not!" Matthew lied to his brother and himself. "I'm just not worrying about it at this time. If I'm talking to you, how can I contemplate this? It's something that's going to take a lot of brain power."

Alfred coughed, "Procrastinator."

Matthew shoved his shoulder. "Shut up, you...you...I can't even come up with a name that fits your atrocity!"

His brother elbowed him. "You tend to go with 'Ass' a lot. It makes me wonder what kind of guy you are, Mattie."

"Shut up, you ass."

Alfred's laughter died off to a quiet gulp. "I know it would suck for him, but if you stayed up here...that'd be great, too. What if one day you left to go to Hell with Ivan, and..." He cleared his throat again, but it did not do much against nasty anguish, "What if you never came back?"

"Why? Because you made me mad? Al, you always make me mad-"

"No, I mean like, if you died or something!"

Matthew clamped his mouth shut. _Oh._ "Usually you're so optimistic."

Alfred meekly nodded. "I don't want you getting yourself into something you wind up regretting, and it being too late."

Matthew gave him a blank look. "Al, if we knew if we were going to regret doing something, what would be the point of living? We're supposed to take chances, and have fun. Go out on a limb, and all those other, weird fruit idioms."

"Oh..." Alfred trained his eyes on the replays of their previous race flashing across the television screen, but his gaze was distant. "Yeah, I think about that too, sometimes. A lot, actually, but if we don't see each other for a really, really, _really_ long time, and we become really, really, _really_ different from what we are..."

"We'd still be brothers, right?"

"Aw, jeez, Mattie, you're making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Alfred pointed at the TV. "Let's keep racing."

Matthew snatched Player 1's controller off the table before his brother could reach it. "You're on! Don't cry when I get a three win streak... _again!_ "

"That was one time, and I was off my groove!" Alfred dodged a typical maneuver of an elbow to the side. "It seems like the only way you can win is if you use those cheap tactics!"

"Look who's talking!"

Alfred blew a raspberry. Their thumbs mashed furiously on the buttons, way engrossed in their video game to notice Francis emerging from his office to greet his boys after a long day of school. He slipped away from the doorway, and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner with tears in his eyes, but a fond smile on his face.


	38. Doughnut Cry It Will OK :)

Matthew could not sleep. Perhaps it was too warm under the blankets, but then he would be too uncomfortable without them. Maybe it was because of Alfred flapping his hands to his face as he announced the previous night, "Dude, we're graduating tomorrow!" The thermostat was all the way downstairs, so he remained quietly suffering. Eventually, he believed he would fall asleep.

And eventually, he did, managing at least three hours of unconsciousness before the sun's brightness awoke him. Wondering how his brother managed, Matthew grabbed his glasses, but took a heaving breath before a sneeze exploded all over the lens. "Yuck!"

After thoroughly wiping the glasses, Matthew put them on, and blinked at the vivid sight of flowers consuming his bedroom. "Again?!" He croaked, tightening his grip on his blankets at the realization of what the plethora of plants meant. It was a lot of work, but his eyes widened as he bustled out of bed to stare at all the colors. "You...where are you? Why aren't you here now?"

The quiet bedroom did not reply, and as excited Matthew wanted to be, the obligation to get something in his belly called louder than somebody that was not there anymore. Tearing himself from his room, he hurried as quickly as he could down the stairs without throwing himself down their reach to the kitchen. Francis was flipping a crêpe onto a thin stack for his family, while Alfred was slumped against the island counter, slipping back to dreamland.

Their father turned around with the plate of pastries, and lightly smacked his younger son on the back of his head, causing him to snap up with a noisy snort. "You will get drool on the counter!"

"Good morning, Papa," Matthew called, settling in the seat across from his brother. Alfred lifted the crêpes like he was paging through a book, and his glasses were missing from his bleary blues. "How'd you sleep?"

Alfred made a sound as if he were dying.

"That bad?" Matthew was delicately balancing on sleep deprivation, but he still had the bruise marks beneath his eyes to tattle.

"I thought you were a morning person!" Francis exclaimed as he dragged out the stool beside Alfred. He slapped away the hand molesting the crêpes, and grabbed some of his own before pushing the plate to Matthew. "Even Matthew can sit up straight and it is not even eight in the morning!"

Matthew ducked his head.

Alfred managed to say, "I'm not a waking up person."

"Ah, look at the both of you!" Their father _tisk_ ed, shaking his head as much as he did the can of whipped cream. "You are going to be graduating 'igh school today! They call it beauty sleep for a reason!"

"Couldn't sleep," the brothers claimed at the same time.

Alfred reached for the crêpe platter, and crammed one plain into his mouth. " _Mmph,_ that's tasty." He pushed himself to sit straight so he could snatch more of them.

"We need to leave in twenty minutes," Francis declared. "Remember, they want pale clothes underneath the gowns."

"That's so stupid." Alfred grumbled, "Why white gowns? We're all going to look like ghosts."

Matthew added, "With pointy hats."

"Ghost pirates...'cause they have pointy hats, too."

Francis happily disagreed, "No, you will look like my little angels."

"With pointy hats," Matthew repeated drowsily. Alfred shrugged, but kept his gaze to the counter when his brother gave him a curious look. When he was done stuffing himself, he pushed the now empty plate away and slumped back onto the counter.

Their father suggested, "Be sure to wash your faces. It will freshen you up!"

~.~

~HOLYBOING~

~.~

Out of a class of several hundred seniors, the twins were called near the beginning, which left an uneventful slot of time as names were droned in rapid succession. When the tearful speeches caused a wave of nostalgia and sobs, Alfred let out snores instead. Matthew gave him sour glances for sleeping, also sour at temptation that persuaded his own eyes to slip close, even for a little bit. He kept himself occupied with polite clapping whenever a name was called.

The assistant principal took the podium last, spewing a few more sentimental words, as if there were not enough before praising, "Congratulations, Class!"

Matthew repeatedly yanked on his brother's sleeve. "Alfred. Alfred! They're throwing the hats!"

Alfred suddenly shot to his feet, whooping and flinging his cap. Matthew tossed his at a more docile height, so it would fall back to his upstretched hands. Just as his fingers snagged the white fabric, his brother barreled into him for a spine-cracking embrace. Instead of breathlessly yelling at him, or trying to gasp for air, he drummed his hands against his back, laughing as hard as he was.

"We did it. We did it!" Matthew cheered, unable to hear his words over the surrounding commotion. "No more waking up at those hours anymore!"

However, Alfred slouched and blubbered incoherently as he clutched onto his brother's gown.

"What's that?! You're crying? You said you wouldn't!"

"Don't be an ass!" Alfred sobbed, releasing Matthew so he could lift his glasses and drag his gown's sleeve over his eyes. "It's a big deal!"

Matthew lightly punched his other arm that clutched onto his diploma. "I know! That's why we have to find Dad!"

Alfred smiled and nodded, following where he slipped through the crowd. White (and beige for the girls) swished all around them as they struggled toward one of the many exits for fresh air, but the crowd jostled and lashed as if it wanted to entrap them. Matthew wanted to shout at people to move, but they would not hear him over their own chatter and excitement.

Matthew glanced behind himself, skittering to a halt when he realized Alfred was nowhere close to him. "Alfred?" He could hardly hear his own words. His spot was stolen by a larger body pushing him forward, so Matthew had no choice but to keep moving toward the doors. Even when his feet were stepped on, and his teeth rattled by his classmates, he found himself unable to stop smiling. He could sleep in everyday he wanted to now. Oh, and no more homework and bring-home projects, of course.

His eyes naturally flickered to a taller figure bobbing from the sea of whites and tans, jumping in place to see over everyone's heads. He laughed at that, about to turn back to focus on reaching the exits, but choked off when he recognized that someone. He stopped, wide eyed and open mouthed, gawking at the bouncing figure. Then their eyes met, the leaping subsided to an equally shocked gaze. His mouth opened, calling something, but the words never reached Matthew's ears. "Watch out!" Matthew spat to all, for their safety as he mercilessly barreled pass them. He laughed about that, too.

 _This day cannot get any better._

The body he threw himself at grunted, both losing their breath from the collision. Sturdy arms wrapped around Matthew, shielding him from the crazed hoard of graduates, and guided him through easier than he did on his own. He stuck his face against a familiar pale scarf, suffocating himself with the scent of campfire and other things as his legs blindly shuffled forward. The bright afternoon sun attacked all eyes, but a tall pillar supporting the upper floors offered an excellent rest stop, free from the throngs of other teenagers that had the same method of escaping.

"Matthew, Matthew, Matthew," Ivan's voice chanted in his ear. _I missed you, I missed you, I missed you._ Matthew closed his eyes against the fingers rummaging through his hair, almost missing the question, "Was I gone for too long?"

Matthew leaned away enough to reach up a hand and pressed his fingertips to the man's cheek, marveling at the smile that was for him. The grin only brightened as he stood on his toes, dotting his mouth with his own. Ivan turned his head to meet his lips, and squeezed his arms as they could not get any closer until his beloved yanked away with a gasp, "You came back. I'm so glad..."

Ivan blinked against another eager kiss, and smiled from the whispery "I missed you's" and a "I can't believe it." Somebody ran by them, screaming their head off, probably from overenthusiasm, which fit to the mood. He stammered, "What, you...you think I would have not come back?"

A great heat slapped Matthew's cheeks as he vehemently shook his head, "Oh, I started to think that like, an hour after you left." Words tumbled out, "Don't worry about it. I'm just being stupid." His hands petted the lapel of Ivan's dress jacket and he gushed, "Ha-ha, look at you, Mister Demon, all decked out in white..."

Another student squealed, "Ew!"

They yanked away from one another to stare with wide eyes, but it was just a few kids crowded around another one showing them a video. Ivan leaned his head down to nestle his face against Matthew's hair as he put a fist to his mouth, hiding some of his face from his classmates. "I would not think I would say it, but I think I am...relieved to get out of there."

"That bad?"

"Oh, it was absolutely awful."

"Then let's not talk about it."

"We will need to eventually."

"I know, just not now." They locked eyes again, and Matthew started to grin like an idiot. "We...we should find my dad, or else he might call for a search party."

Ivan tipped his head. "He would do that?"

"I don't want to find out."

The crowd had eased into giant clumps of families that lumbered toward the exists in unsightly white/beige herds. Ivan took a deep inhale, and turned his head to a specific spot in the crowd. "Your family is that way."

"Whoa. Did you run into them earlier?"

"No, but I can sense them. They are over here."

Matthew echoed, "Sense? Hey, you _do_ have that jewel thing in, right?" The lack of response made a slow grin creep onto his face. "Ivan..."

"No. I am only cloaked right now. I would not be able to find you otherwise. Ah, but nobody can tell the difference as long as we do not say anything about it, yes?"

 _Sly devil!_ Matthew latched onto his arm and squeezed, not wanting to lose him again.

"Mattie! Mattie!"

Matthew jerked his chin toward an arm flailing above people's hats. "That could only be Alfred."

A deep wail shot across the floor. "Mattie!"

Ivan exclaimed, "He sounds as if he is dying!"

Matthew pointed to his brother, and Alfred clamped his hands on his chest and stumbled backwards. "Hey, you!"

Alfred was much more awake at the moment than he had been earlier. He trotted behind a group of other boys that were taking pictures to meet his brother. "Hey, _you_!" He took a step back when he glanced to Ivan. "Whoa, you're here, too!"

"Surprise!"

"Uh, um, Mattie," Alfred hovered to his brother, and their heads ducked closer to one another when he managed to lower his voice, "Arthur's back."

"Huh?" The other twin straightened and looked around the nearby crowds. He caught their father's back, recognizing that hair flick, and Arthur standing in front of him, but neither of them seemed too engrossed in whatever conversation passed between them. The man turned his head and they made eye contact. _A month. You waited a month before coming back._ Ivan had good reasons; Arthur had better have some, too, or else things may get ugly. "Have you spoken with him yet?"

"Not really...not enough time, you know?" Alfred hurried to their father and tugged on his sleeve. He pointed to his brother, bouncing up and down, and Francis' face lit up as they approached.

Ivan said, "We should get the iced cream after this."

Matthew exclaimed, "Ooh, I know Alfred would like that idea!"

"No, no," Ivan murmured under his breath. "Without Alfredo. Just us."

Matthew tittered, "This is a family thing, Ivan."

Francis seemed to praise Heaven when he exclaimed, "Oh, there you are!" He swished a hand toward himself, while his other gripped a camera. "Come, come! I need to take pictures!" He pointed at Ivan when he hung back for Matthew to join his brother. "That includes you, too!"

"Do I have to be striking for a pose?"

"Of course!" Francis motioned to Arthur, then to a spot in front of his sons. "Try to make yourself look pretty while you are 'ere."

Arthur bristled, "Is that necessary?"

The father eagerly nodded, brandishing his camera. "You know it is. Short people in the front!"

"I am not short!" Arthur glanced behind himself at the other three, but they were all looking to Francis. With a huff, he accepted his position, but not before nipping, "If you were in these pictures, you would be standing here, in the front as well."

Francis held up his device, lightly snorting. "We are supposed to be smiling for photos, not getting pissy!"

Alfred blurted, "Yeah, Artie!"

"I do not remember asking for your input."

Francis prompted, "Say 'cheese!'"

Ivan asked, "Why?"

"So you can pretend to look 'appy."

Alfred was the only one who laughed at that. Everyone else looked awkward, wanted to pass out, or a combination of both. It took a couple of snaps for Francis to suggest that he take a few photos of his sons with each other instead of a group picture. That wound up much better, and much less unnatural looking, until a teen in the background made a stupid face, and Francis cut the photo shoot short to properly scold him.

Then the five of them proceeded to get ice cream.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"Chocolate?" Alfred asked, "You got chocolate?"

Ivan gave him a side glance as they waited at the counter. "Yes..."

"Yeah!" Alfred held out a clenched hand. "Fist bump!"

"What?"

"Fist bump!"

"You want me to punch you?"

Alfred shook his fist. "No! Bump our fists together!"

"Oh, okay..." Ivan uncertainly balled his hand before clunking his with Alfred's.

"Yeah! Fist bump!" The cashier handed them two cones, and Alfred cheered over that, too. "Yeah! Ice cream!"

"Just what are you?"

Matthew laughed and shook his own cone at his brother when they joined the squad. "Ha-ha, vanilla!"

"Ha-ha, you _are_ vanilla!"

"Ass!"

Francis put a hand to his cheek and lightheartedly sighed, "Boys..."

Arthur asked no one in particular, "All this stigma. Does anybody like strawberry?"

Ivan smacked his lips and exclaimed, "Cold!"

There was a quiet whining sound, and a look of horror donned on both of their faces as Francis' shoulders started to shake. "Uh oh. Boys, your father-"

" _My baby boys!"_

Francis learned that ice cream parlors were not a good choice to break down to tears. They were asked 'politely' to eat their treats outside to give the indoor customers a sense of peace. Once they hobbled outside, he threw his arms around his sons' shoulders, wailing, "My baby boys are all grown up! It was just yesterday when I dressed you up in those matching polo's and sent you off to primary school!"

"Just yesterday?" Ivan echoed, confused.

"My ice cream!" Alfred cried, shielding his waffle cone from the invasion.

Matthew glanced at somebody, anybody, for help from the blubber of sobs. His brother was focused on escaping his predicament. Arthur stared at the late afternoon skies, allowing his ice cream to melt onto his hand, unaffected by the cold, while Ivan stuck his tongue out at his own dessert, claiming, "I cannot feel my mouth anymore."

Francis continued, even when Alfred ducked away from him, using his free arm to cover his eyes. "You two used to be the cutest things! Oh, you are still cute, but you are 'andsome men now! Your eighteenth birthdays are in less than a month! I do not believe it! What will I do?!"

"Stop, Dad, chill out," Matthew pleaded, shaking his father's arm. "Your ice cream's going to melt!"

"Oh, my ice cream," Francis sniffled, and used his shirt sleeve to dab at his eyes before taking the cone his other son was holding. He whispered to the half melted treat, " _Pauvre vieux._ "

Alfred elbowed his brother, muttering, "Yeah, poor thing is right! You know he's sad when he talks to his food."

"Next you will have to find jobs, or a good college, somewhere not too far away." Francis kept rambling, "Money is not a big concern, I suppose. We will just have to work through loans and finding scholarships, but that job at the bookstore will not do much for long, _Matthieu._ "

The brothers exchanged a shocked look. Matthew rubbed his father's shoulder. "I know, Papa. I'll look into something."

"Dad, we just graduated a few hours ago."

Arthur turned his head and stared at Alfred's back as Francis snuffed against his sleeve again. "It is best to get going as soon as possible. Colleges will be flooding our mailboxes much more now school is out."

Alfred let out weak laughter. "Yeah, they been bugging us ever since twelfth grade started."

Matthew dropped his gaze to the sidewalk as guilt chewed at his stomach, making for a clammy mix with the ice cream.

By then, Ivan had tuned to the conversation, and wiggled between the brothers. "Mister Francis, what is this college you keep speaking of?"

"You do not know?" Francis flinched, "Oh, you need to excuse me. I forgot about...err...why you would not know. It is an opportunity to further education after 'igh school."

"So you finish this high school to get into more schools?"

"Well, you do not _have_ to," the father crinkled his nose. "Some jobs do not require-"

"Ah, good! I was hoping that Matthew and I-"

Matthew slapped a hand over Ivan's sticky mouth, causing everyone to stare at him in shock. "Uh...he was wondering if we could go home now. It's been a long day, and my feet are starting to hurt."

Alfred shrugged. "I want to go home, too."

Their father eyed his other son as he took his hand back, smiling uneasily. Ivan seemed confused as Francis was. " _D'accord.._.since you both want to leave."

Completely missing the gesture to keep his mouth shut, Ivan declared, "I wanted you to know that I would like to take your son to Hell, so we can live as one forever and ever!"

Francis' shoes ground against the sidewalk as he stopped. He slowly turned around, his face shrouded with shock. " _Excusez-moi?_ "

Matthew's mouth was gaped. "Why would you say that to him?!"

His brother seemed conflicted between bursting in laughter or gawking in horror.

"Your father needs to know eventually. It would be rude of me to snatch you away without letting him know."

" _Matthieu?_ Is this true?"

"I-I...well...we have to talk about it first," Matthew glared at Ivan as he said it. Ivan only seemed to grow more confused about the confrontation. "Um...just think of it like it was when I went on Spring Break, but a little longer. Like I said, we got to talk about times and lengths of stay...Dad?"

Their father curled his upper lip from a low noise of distress.

"Uh oh." Alfred exclaimed, "He's going to cry!"

Francis slapped his free hand over his face, and promptly busted into tears.

* * *

Blehps:

(1) "I thought you were a morning person!" Francis exclaimed as he dragged out the stool beside Alfred. He slapped away the hand molesting the crêpes, and grabbed some of his own before pushing the plate to Matthew. "Even Matthew can sit up straight and it is not even eight in the morning!"

"Hah!" Alfred threw his head back. "There's nothing straight about Matthew."

Matthew agreed, "Especially at eight in the morning."

(2) "Matthew, Matthew, Matthew," Ivan's voice chanted in his ear. _I missed you, I missed you, I missed you._ They did not need to say the words aloud.

 _"Donuts, donuts, donuts."_

"What?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm kind of hungry."


	39. Chapter 38

Francis was not too happy. Even if he did say no, instead of accepting his son's decision, and hugging him no less than three times, he knew Matthew would have still stuck to his mindset. The trips to down under were becoming more frequent, and longer with each one, with no quick method of contact besides trusting the demon (of all things) to look after him.

"Don't worry, Papa!" Matthew said. "We'll be back before my birthday! I'll be fine."

His father could only wait and see.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The sewers were the worst part. The walk was long, dark, and uneventful, holding the town's disgusting after fluids. Matthew did not voice his complaints aloud, mindful of the strain Ivan had to go through with carrying him, and the book bag he was carrying through the disgusting sludge.

Ivan spoke, breaking the strained silence between them, "Before we get there, you must know that there is something different about Cujo."

Matthew lifted his head from the scarf he buried his face into. "Oh no! What happened?! Is he all right?"

"Cujo is not hurt," Ivan assured. "It is just...ah, you should see for yourself."

"That only makes me worry more."

"It is not something to worry about."

"Hey, I don't mean to pry, but are we almost there?"

"We are here," Ivan announced, suddenly releasing the weight off his back. He threw an arm behind himself, catching Matthew before he could stumble away and fall over.

"Wow, thanks."

Ivan swiped a hand through Matthew's wavy hair, smiling at his laughter. "I need a moment."

"To do what?"

A wince of pain, followed by a loud swooping sound, blew a gust of stale air into the teen's face, answering his question. Now uncloaked, Ivan went to work shifting the giant stones leaning cautiously on one another, exposing the underground. As always, he took a deep inhale, sighing at familiar smells that Matthew could not detect. He held a clawed hand out, enticing, "Care to join me?"

Cracking a bright grin through the ebbing light, Matthew pushed aside a stone he helped to move, and said, "Don't mind if I do."

Just as they embraced, Ivan leaned back, slowly inclining to the abyss of heat below. He giggled at Matthew's gasp of realization that they were slipping, and the tilt snapped off to a plunge. The demon warned, his bubbly laughter drowning into the air whipping around them. "You better hold on tightly!"

Matthew only managed a drawn out, creaky noise of fright as the body clutching onto him twisted mid-air, and tossed his insides with the movements. It was over within seconds, but the drop was an unavoidable nightmare compared to the walk through the sewer. He muttered once his sneakers touched solid ground, "I hate it every time." He took a sniff, and sighed to the stuffy air, "Whoa, I swear it's hotter on the surface now that it's summertime." Although on good days, summer has merciful breezes.

"Seems like it!" Ivan exclaimed, and gave his scarf a bothered tug. "When I returned to the surface, all the plants were big and poufy and green!"

"Did you like it?"

"Oh, it was wonderful," Ivan murmured, sighing happily as Matthew pressed closer to him. "We should get into the house. You are missed."

"By your dog?"

"By everyone!"

Matthew raised his eyebrows in a skeptical look. "Even Natalia?"

"She can deny it if she pleases."

On the way to the dark dwelling, some other, smaller buildings decorating the side of the mountain caught Matthew's eye. He pointed at the jagged shapes and asked, "Were those there the last time I was here?"

"No! There are lots of new and exciting things now!"

"Are they houses for other demons?"

"They are."

"Oh, so we got neighbors now!"

"Yes, delightful, is it? I have persuaded a few others to live here, but I believe they liked what my land offered more than what I did."

"So what? It's a nice place to stay."

Ivan pressed his face to the top of Matthew's head. "I am glad you think that way. Maybe everyone else with realize that, too!"

"Vanya!" A high voice called. Both of them looked up, but Matthew looked to a wrong window on the second floor. Three shadows quickly shrunk away from his stare, until his name was called again. He glanced to Irunya frantically waving out of one of the other windows. "You brought little Matvey, too! Hello!"

Matthew grumbled, "Why does she always call me little?"

Her brother answered easily, "She has a big heart." They watched Irunya pop back into the house, most likely making her way to the front doors. Just as they reached the entrance, the double doors clicked, swinging open, and almost clipped them in their faces.

"Oh, no!" Irunya cupped her hands over her mouth. "Did I hit you?"

"Almost!" Ivan patted his sister's back when she threw her arms around him.

"You, too, Matvey," the she-demon pulled Matthew into a quick hug, smiling fondly at the both of them. "How long is your stay this time?"

"I'm done with school now, so I'll be able to stay a lot longer than I have been. Last time was a week, so imagine triple the length."

Irunya gasped, "That is great, whatever this school thing is! Let us get inside! There are things for you to see!"

At first, there was nothing different, but the entrance hall with the carved pillars were always breathtaking to Matthew. However, in the central room, several cloths draped from the overlooking balcony, and the largest one ended on a scarlet point between the throne chairs, as if there were not enough indication to stare at the seats. Now more candles and flames dotted the walls and crude tables around the place to give it more light, more life. He had realized the siblings were watching him expectantly. "Um...you've decorated."

Ivan only smiled as Irunya tittered, "Yes, we did! Do you like it?"

"It's great, and very red."

"Red is a very lovely color," Ivan claimed, burying his hand into Matthew's hair once again.

Irunya suggested, "He should see the dining hall! That is very nice now, too!" She held up her hands when her brother tossed a blank stare. "Not that it was not nice before. It was just...a little on the plain side."

"It looks like people live in it now, yes?" The demon nudged Matthew, prompting an answer when he lost his attention to the rich décor.

"It's great," Matthew insisted. "Can we see Cujo now? I'm worried about him."

"Oh!" Irunya gasped, "He does not know?"

"Know what?"

Ivan sighed heavily. "Matthew, I am trying to show you important things. This is going to be your home, too."

"I know, but Cujo is important, too."

Irunya cleared her throat to cover a small giggle as her brother grew visibly conflicted. He gave the stitched cloth running down the dining table an agitated tug before nodding. "We will go see the doggy now."

"Really? Thank you!"

The demon pinked under the attachment to his arm, "Ah, yes, she stays under the stairs a lot lately."

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean Cujo?"

Nobody confirmed the slip-up until a cooing tone emerged from the stair well. "Who is a good girl? Yes, you are! Who is a pretty girl? Err..." the speaker gave his dark chestnut wings a twitch as he rose to his feet, staring at the trio with a deathly frightened gaze. "I-I was just checking on her! Tough times, you know!"

Irunya asked, "Is Cujo all right?"

Matthew was more concerned for the hellhound than the stranger. The stranger was more concerned about Matthew than the hellhound. He backed away slowly as if the human would lash out at him when he drew closer, and the 'dog' grunted with a long yawn, bracing for more attention. "Hey, I missed you!" Cujo stood from the mess of blankets on the ground, tail waggling at the sight of an old friend. "Oh my god, you're fat! What happened?"

"She is pregnant," the stranger whispered. "Did you not know that?"

"What?" Matthew shot to his feet, obviously frightening the brunet with his sudden movements. "Cujo is a boy!"

Ivan spoke up, "Has anyone _really_ bothered to check before? We just assumed, and she had proved us wrong." He then grumbled, "That is most likely the reason she was building a nest in my vents in the first place."

"Puppies?!" Matthew gasped, kneeling down again to vigorously scratch behind Cujo's horns. "I don't believe it! That's great news!"

The other demon grabbed at the hair falling to his shoulders in a nervous gesture as Ivan approached, but everyone was focused on the 'dog.' "Very nice, yes?" Cujo wiggled as much as she could under the two sets of hands petting her. "She is due soon."

Matthew asked, "Are we going to keep the name?"

Ivan glanced at him in slight surprise. "Why not? Is that not a good name anymore?"

"I named her thinking she was a dude."

"What is a dude?"

The stranger slipped away from both of them, going around the walls of the room to reach Irunya. "Excuse me, Lady Irunya, that's a human, right? _The_ human?"

The she-demon put a hand over her mouth and giggled at the sight of Cujo flopping over to expose her swollen stomach for more scratches. "You do not need to be scared of him, Toris. Not all humans are to be feared. He is here on his own accord."

The other demon, Toris, gave Matthew a heavy look of disbelief as he fell into a peel of laughter and affectionately shouldered Ivan. "Is he...is he that one who Ravis was talking about before?"

"If Ravis was talking about Matthew before, then yes, that is him."

"I could not wrap my tail around it before," Toris flicked his green eyes to Ivan lightly patting the hellhound before copying the gesture to Matthew's head. "I thought Ravis was scared enough to be crazy when he came back from here when he said that the lord..." He glanced to Irunya, but she was smiling at her brother. "Things were different. This human changed things. Is that true?"

Irunya tossed Toris an impatient look. "Just watch him during his stay, and you will understand." She walked toward her brother without a response. "How is Cujo doing?"

"I think we tired her out," Ivan admitted. The hellhound flopped on her side, and her chest heaved with a big sigh before her beady eyes closed for rest.

"Cujo is a girl," Matthew announced. "I'm sorry, that's going to take a while to click in my mind."

Irunya swished a hand, "Do not worry about it. We all thought she was a male until Eduard pointed out she was pregnant."

"Eduard?"

Ivan put in, "Some of the changes and additions are not all to do with décor."

"Are they our neighbors, from those houses we saw before?"

"No, they are our new housemates!"

Matthew blinked in surprise. "Oh."

"What, you do not like them? I can keep them in one room if you want!"

"Um, no, that won't be necessary."

Irunya scolded, "Vanya, do not be rude. They do not _have_ to be here."

"I am not being rude! I was thinking of what Matthew wants!"

Matthew slapped a palm to his forehead. "Oh, how lovely."

Ivan lifted Matthew's hand from his own face so he could hold it, "Oh, you are fine with it?"

Toris blanched from the other side of the room, and decided that was an excellent time to leave. Matthew spotted his movement, peering over Ivan's shoulder to watch him escape their presence. "Let's keep them around, okay? Was that one of them?"

"One of them," Irunya nodded. "Are we going to do anything right now? Would you like to hunt? It is a long way from the surface, and I am sure you worked up an appetite."

Matthew eagerly answered, "Yeah!" The demons stared at him in slight surprise. He put a hand over his mouth while his other fingers twitched against Ivan's palm. "I-If you're offering."

"Of course!" The she-demon exclaimed. "We have to keep you feed, too! Let me fetch Natalia. I am sure she will be happy you returned, brother."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"'...and for once, in those hectic times, everything was right.' The end."

"Another one."

"Ivan, that's the second book I've just went through. How many will it take for you to go to sleep?"

The warm body using Matthew's chest as a pillow wiggled with excitement. "All of them!"

"I only brought three books!"

"Then it will take three for me to be able to go to sleep."

Matthew slapped the book to his own face. "I don't think I have it in me to read another."

The demon picked up his head, and dragged a hand down his scarf that was around his bedmate's neck. "I missed hearing you talk." He gave the muffler a sharp tug. "Especially when it is just between us."

With a heavy sigh, Matthew set the thin book on the mattress and flicked it away from him. "I'll read you the last book tomorrow, or whenever we go to sleep next. My throat hurts from reading aloud so much." He gave Ivan a light push to the shoulder when he kept staring with pleading eyes. "Come on, I'm tired."

"Talk to me. Please."

"Um...what do you want me to say?"

"Anything," Ivan murmured, pressing his ear above Matthew's heart. "It was so troublesome trying to sleep alone again, and now it is the last thing I would like to do."

"Okay, I have something." Matthew folded his legs around Ivan's figure, trapping the demon against him. "Go to bed."

His bedmate easily shot back, "I am in bed, thank you."

"Yeah? Do you know what beds are for? Sleeping."

"Matthew, do not be mean. It does not fit you."

"I'll stop being mean if you go to sleep," Matthew crooned, using slow scratches to Ivan's scalp to aid his persuasion.

The effect was immediate; Ivan drew a stuttering inhale and his eyes fluttered close. "Hm, maybe...when you do that..."

"So, are you going to sleep?"

His only reply was a low grunt.

Matthew leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his forehead. "That's what I thought."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

When several knocks on the door roused Matthew from his sleep, he welcomed his awakening, instead of grumbling and cursing consciousness. He whispered aloud, "I'm really enjoying sleeping in." The rapping sounded again, so he cleared his throat, and glanced down to Ivan's sleeping figure draped over his lower half, and he let out a soft snore. "You can come in. Come in!"

The door opened, and whoever was at the entrance hesitated. "L-lord Ivan?"

Matthew furrowed his eyebrows at the sound of a stranger's voice. Slowly pulling himself closer to a sitting position, he grabbed his glasses that were resting on the bed. "He is sleeping at the moment. What do you need?"

A few footsteps approached the cot, but stopped. Matthew squinted at the dark figure through the curtains. "I-I have important papers he requested for me to fill out for him. He said to bring them to him as s-soon as possible."

"Uh, I guess you can bring them here."

Nothing happened.

"It's all right. You can open the curtains and put the stuff on the bed. There's plenty of room."

The intruder whimpered almost inaudibly. He drew closer, and the fabric shivered from his disturbance. A blond stuck his head between the cloth, and his teal eyes widened in shock at the sight of the other demon wrapped and being wrapped around a strange, plain being. "Who are you?"

"You don't need to afraid. You said you have papers?"

The demon glanced down to a thin bundle tucked in his arm. His voice was weak as he pulled the papers into view before slowly setting them onto the mattress, "I do. Here they are."

Ivan drew a sharp breath from the voices, but did not awaken. Matthew eased the agitated twitches of his tail by running his fingers through his hair, and gave the other an uneasy smile. "Thank you, um, I don't believe I caught your name."

"Eduard," the other blond said more clearly. "I presume you are a human."

"Here I was trying to blend in," Matthew lightly laughed, prompting a short, nervous bark from the demon. "Ahem, yes, I am. My name's Matthew."

"May I ask what are those things before your eyes, Matthew?"

The teen automatically touched the rim of his lens. "Oh, these? These are glasses. I've always had bad eyesight, so these help me see clearly."

"Those glasses do that?" Eduard slapped a hand over his mouth. "Forgive me, I have gotten excited."

"No, it's fine! You can't see well, either?"

"It is not so bad, just a slight blur."

"That still stinks." Matthew gasped, "Hey, I can get you glasses, if you need them!"

Eduard almost fell into shock. "N-no! No, you do not have to do that! I can handle it!"

"It's not a big deal. Some glasses are really cheap. I can buy a pair for you next time I go back to the surface."

"R-really, do not feel a need to help me."

"We live under the same roof," Matthew pointed out. "Let me help you. I want to."

Eduard shrunk back, tugging the curtain back into place to hide his reddened face. "I-If you insist." He sputtered, "Thank you," before fleeing the room.

Unfortunately, Eduard was not careful with his treatment to the door, and the collision against its frame caused Ivan to yelp, roughly jolting awake. "Whas dat?!" He snarled half consciously, flinging himself to his hands and knees as his wings stretched menacingly from his back. He angrily sniffed the air, and demanded, "Stop sneaking around!"

A light hand running up from his rear caused him to jump. "Ivan, chill. Nobody's here."

The demon pressed closer to his bedmate, but his eyes still jumped around the curtains in case they held a hidden threat. "Was there someone just in here?"

"Yeah, it was Eduard. He was delivering important papers, apparently." Matthew leaned forward to wrap an arm around Ivan's waist. "Like I said. It's okay."

Ivan allowed himself to be gently pulled in a more comfortable position, casting one last suspicious glance around the curtains before noticing the small stack at the edge of the bed. "The papers are those over there, yes?"

"Yep!" Matthew giggled as the demon nuzzled his cheek before lunging across the mattress. "What do the papers say?"

Ivan stared at the sheets a moment before declaring. "I do not know. It is too dark." He yanked the curtains back, allowing the constant glow from outside to filter in their seclusion. It was quiet for a moment as he scrutinized the crude handwriting until he threw his hands over his eyes and emitted a loud, drawn out groan.

"What happened?!"

"Ah, no, no, no, you do not panic," he warned as Matthew crawled toward him to look at the papers. "This is what should happen. It is a good thing!"

Matthew settled beside his bedmate, not making sense of the jumble of strange letters across the coarse paper. "It sounds like you are trying to persuade yourself that."

"I am." Ivan flopped his head onto Matthew's shoulder and gave the sheets a push to get them away from him. "After all this...nonsense, the surrounding lords recognized my revival."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"They will need to pay me a kind visit to confirm it, and it is highly expected for the host to take care of his guests, yes?"

"Like some kind of demon party?"

Ivan weakly laughed, "Yes, a demon party. How wonderful."

"Is it really?" Matthew asked, already knowing the answer.

Somehow, Ivan still smiled sweetly as he claimed, "No, I will loathe every moment of it."


	40. Chapter 39

_There is a lot of demons. Holy crap, there are a lot of demons._ Matthew had to agree with his inner thoughts until, _They're all going to eat me!_

Ivan sat on the adjacent throne chair, wings flat against the back with his hands folded in his lap. There was nothing exciting for him amongst the clatter and chatter filling the dining hall into the central room. The attendees were not there to congratulate him, or make friends. Their eyes were narrowed in suspicion at the offered meats and fruit littering the table, their wings were stiff from their backs as they brushed pass another, and even their trails of shadows shrunk from one another.

Despite the ulterior motives, Ivan met each glance casted in his direction with a cheeky smile, waiting for everyone to get over themselves, and enjoy his new, lovely décor. Irunya worked long and hard on the banister cloths while Natalia did an excellent job decorating, and nobody offered a small compliment. Good thing his sisters were upstairs, away from the tense crowd. He gritted his teeth as two of the neighbors leaned their heads in an obvious secret, with their eyes flickering in his direction. The vents must have been working excellent today, for the air had a cool bite to it.

He had said he would loathe every moment.

Matthew sought assurance by reaching for his clasped hands, and gave the whitened skin around his knuckles a nervous rub.

Ivan was mistaken; he loathed _almost_ every moment. He leaned into the side of his seat, over the arm rest, so he could ask Matthew, "Are you well?"

The teen pressed against his own chair, practically speaking to Ivan face to face so he could be heard. "Doesn't it look like it?"

"They will not bite you."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Why would you ask?"

Matthew stretched for the demon's ear. "I'm speaking from experience."

With a guilty giggle, Ivan claimed, "Here I was thinking you enjoyed these experiences."

"Who said I didn't?"

Somebody close by loudly cleared their throat over the background conversations, cruelly interrupting their fits of flirtatious snickering. Both throne warmers snapped their heads at the disturbance of another demon squeezing by a small group to reach them, and stopped to perform a respectful bow of his head before straightening taller than he already was. Ivan greeted him first, "To what do I owe the pleasure of the lord Ludwig seeking me out?"

"I request to speak to you. Alone."

Matthew clamped on his seat's armrest as the stranger's piercing blue eyes flickered to him. He glanced at Ivan, who matched his look of disbelief. The exchange was all but pleasant, "Whatever you need to tell me, you can say it in front of both of us."

Another, more curious look at Matthew, and Ludwig insisted, "Away from the company of the party, please?"

"Oh. Why did you not say so in the first place?" Ivan rose out of his chair, beckoning his partner to follow them. "There is a private lounge upstairs."

The thin crowd watched every movement the trio made, and they found solace from the many eyes only when they escaped up the steps. Between the doors to the sisters' bedrooms, a short hall led to a quaint rest area with cushioned benches decorating the floor. Ivan held a hand out for Ludwig to take a seat first, in which he did, before he settled.

Matthew looked around the squishy ottomans, and plopped next to Ivan. He snuck his arm beneath his and pressed against his side, inwardly expecting attention, but got none.

Ivan asked, "What is so hush-hush to get away from prying ears?"

Ludwig raised his eyebrows as Matthew lifted the scarf around his neck to his cheeks, shying from his relentlessly confused stares. "Um, yes, I am not intending on starting a fight between us, but I believe there is something in your possession that was mine."

"So that is what this is about?" Ivan tittered. "Based on how secretive you were acting, I thought this was going to be important."

"It _is_ important," Ludwig retorted. "You cannot keep avoiding the subject forever."

Matthew blurted, "Avoid what?"

Ivan told him, "Do not worry about it. As I said, it is not important."

"You dragged me up here," Matthew pointed out, and tightened his grip around Ivan's arm. "What are you two on about?"

Ludwig was so rigid, he could have been mistaken for a statue, encased in awkwardness as Ivan cracked a tight smile. "Land disputes. As always."

"Yes, another land dispute," Ludwig stated, "but I am not going to let this one slide like the others. You know why."

"But I need it!" Ivan laughed, countering his words. "I am getting my lands revived, and I need all the cultivation I can get!"

"You possess the largest area out of the surrounding lords." Ludwig clenched his hands against his lap. "A small borough is negligible to pass up, especially when you already have so much agriculture and other potential spots. Just this little bit of land...I am even willing to pay for it if I have to."

"Really?" The other demon enticed with a wider grin. "How far are you willing to go?"

The blond leaped to his feet, snapping his broad wings out in anger with his words, "My family is buried there, dammit! How far do you think?!"

"Wait," Matthew glanced between the two. "Seriously?"

"What do you mean 'Seriously?'" Ludwig shook his head. "I am _deathly_ serious. That land is respectfully mine."

"Respectfully," Ivan squeezed Matthew closer and raised a hand to brush a few scattered strands from his glasses, "My parents have shed blood over that land, too. They have fought, and won it, since you seem to forgotten."

Ludwig's hold on his temper was admirable in the tense situation. He did not respond right away to take a deep breath, and slowly lowered himself into his seat. "I know. I know the ways of war, and how victories are handed out, but those times are over. It is getting to be a time of prosperity, _especially_ for you. Do you not think we have other things to worry about than old disputes?"

"Hm," Ivan's gaze trailed to the ceiling, his cheeky grin telling that he was not thinking hard about it at all. Ludwig gritted his teeth, the noise audible from his spot. "What do you think, Matthew?"

"You're asking _me?_ "

"Yes...I did," Ivan said in the same, bewildered tone. He pressed his nose to the side of his partner's hair, repeating, "What do you think?"

Matthew looked at Ludwig, who appeared to be taken back as much as he was. "Um...based on what I've heard..." He took a shaky breath, and grasped the hand smoothing the scarf around his shoulders to get Ivan's full attention. "I think you have no business with other people's graves. If you are just keeping it for bragging rights, then you should let it go."

The petting motions stopped, and Ludwig made a low choking noise for Matthew's safety. Ivan tipped his head, his sagging smile joining the thread of confusion. "You truly believe that?"

"How often do you use the land or go there, Ivan?" Matthew dropped his eyes, but quickly picked up his head to meet Ivan's steady gaze again. "He is willing to even pay for it. Just accept the damn money or whatever and be done with it."

Ivan broke his stern expression to favor a deep build of giggles. Ludwig's shoulder's eased the slightest bit. "I wonder how you can be so harsh and lovely at the same time!"

"So..." Ludwig coughed into a fist as a smaller presence scurried across the hall.

"So?" Ivan straightened his demeanor. "I suppose I will relinquish my hold on your...grave yard. It is the nice thing to do, yes?" He suddenly shouted, startling the others, "Ravis!"

For a moment after his disappearance, he thought his call was ignored, until a head of dull brown hair peered around the corner. His words barely made it across the corridor, "Y-yes, sir?"

"I need Eduard. Bring him to me."

"Yes, sir!" Ravis squeaked, immediately fleeing from everyone's stares.

As much as he looked like he would implode from keeping his thoughts on the matter in his mind, Ludwig remained silent. The hard floors may have started to smoke under his glare if the other demon had not retracted his attention with a wide yawn. Ivan smacked his lips, leaning his head on Matthew's shoulder. "Parties are tiring!"

Matthew cracked a shy smile from the attention. "Behave yourself."

Ludwig could cry if he allowed himself to. He was stuck with a bunch of crazies until the paperwork was filled out, and based on the way the other demon allowed himself to be lost so easily with his distraction, he was trapped for a long while. The blond slapped his palms to his knees, declaring, "I am going to get a drink." He did not care if the other two only spared glances in his direction as he mumbled, "Maybe ten."

"Oh good," Ivan breathed a sigh of relief. "He left."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "He wasn't _that_ bad."

"I heard you wanted to see me!" Eduard's voice loudly proclaimed from the other end of the hall. He hurried to the pair, cheeks flushed from hustling up the steps.

"Very quick!" Ivan granted. "If only you were in such a hurry _all_ the time..."

Eduard prompted, "D-do you need something?"

Ivan retorted, "I called you here, did I not?"

Eduard flinched. "Uh, yes, sir. What is it you need?"

Matthew gave Ivan a blank look.

"I need resignation sheets for my..." Ivan's face puckered, and he spit out the words, "my surrender of the lord Ludwig's family lands."

"You are relinquishing some of your land?!"

"I just said that." Ivan snipped, "Did you not listen?"

"I-I did, sir! I will get your papers filled out right away!" Eduard ducked his head, and scurried away with the bottom of his boots scuffling against the floor in his desperate escape.

Matthew stared after Eduard's clumsy departure with furrowed eyebrows. "Do you _have_ to do that?"

A clawed hand found itself tangled with the scarf once again. "Do what?"

"You know...scare them like you do. Those three guys seem like they do a lot, and..."

Ivan let out a short, dry laugh. "Ha! They _do_ get scared so easily. It is very cute, yes?" He snuggled against Matthew's shoulder, and Matthew wondered if he did not feel how tense he was, or simply ignored it. "I forgot how _fun_ it was to have them around. I missed them!"

Matthew clenched his jaw, and said, "Oh, really?" He inwardly cringed when it came out more sarcastic than intended. "I'm not sure about them being fun. I mean, that's _not_ what they're here for, right? They're helping with this lord business," stuff a secretary (Eduard) or assistant manager would do, but for seemingly way less pay. While Ravis runs errands, and Toris keeps well up on the house's wellbeing, they have very important, and obviously under-appreciated work.

"Of course! I am not alone anymore, and they keep me entertained while they do their things! I asked Ravis to hold his arms over his head and spin around for a little dance, and he actually did it! You should have seen it!"

"Damn it, Ivan, they're not your play things! They're your workers, _not_ a source of entertainment." Matthew felt his face bloom a brilliant red, but he could not hold back, "That's what I'm here for."

"That is...well, not really, but...if you want..." Ivan ran a heavy hand down to Matthew's knee and announced, "You make me a _very_ happy man, Matthew."

"And I'm glad," Matthew said, trying to keep his face neutral as goose bumps pimpled up his leg. "I want you to be happy, but I want them to be happy, too."

"What? Toris, Ravis, and Eduard? They should be happy! Many lords clip their workers' wings and even have their horns cut off, but they have a lot of freedoms now..."

"Like that makes it better?!"

"Oh, it does not?"

"Come on, they don't have to be here. Did you forget that?" Matthew cleared his throat before his voice could try anything funny. Ivan stopped stroking his knee, staring right in his eyes, mere centimeters from the side of his face. The teen took a shuddering breath, bothered beneath his gaze before muttering, "They can leave again anytime...unless they are being forced to stay?"

Ivan flickered his eyes to the spot on the ground that Matthew was trained on. "No. Nobody is being forced to stay."

"Then...they should get more respect, don't you think?"

"You, Matvey, sir?"

Matthew closed his eyes with his eyebrows trembling as he held back a laugh, even a little one. " _Them,_ I said. Even just a 'Thank you' from time to time. And no dancing."

"No dancing..." Ivan echoed. He fervently resumed his petting motions as he squished their cheeks together. "For them, at least! _You_ will dance for me, yes?"

Matthew promised with an uneasy giggle, "Uh, yeah, sure!" _What did I just do?_ His plastered smile faltered as he thought how distasteful it was to treat Ivan like a child, but when he acted like one, what choice was there? He did not know, but when an arm slid behind his back to pull him closer, he wanted nothing else but to brush away the irritations between them.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Um..." Matthew blinked out of his thoughtful gaze, and in turn, a blush took over his face as he wondered how long he zoned out while Ivan watched. "I was wondering that the next time we go up to the surface, we could get Eduard glasses."

"That is sudden," Ivan murmured. "Why would he need glasses? Are his eyes bad, too?"

"Not as bad as mine, but he still needs them to see clearly."

"That is a nice thing to do!"

Finally, Matthew smiled again, and nodded. "Whenever we go back up to the surface, we can pick up a pair or two for him."

Ivan stared in the distance, as if everything made sense. "His penmanship was always questionable. That will make him less upset, and in turn, you will be less upset, too, yes?"

Matthew slipped an arm beneath the one around his back to use Ivan as a personal leaning post. "For now." From all that ruckus downstairs and the forcibly polite conversations from whoever drifted to the throne chairs, he felt drained, and a yawn got the best of him. "Oof, tired..."

"You tired yourself out!"

Matthew grumbled, "Did I say that aloud?"

Ivan wrapped his other arm around him and squeezed, encourage more by Matthew's breathless laughter as his lungs were affectionately choked off. "I love you! Whoospies, did I say that aloud?"

"I get it, I get it, I get it," Matthew snickered against Ivan's relentless nudges, making sure he had his own to serve, but then yelped as his tail swept up and flicked his butt. Panicked feet scrambled up the steps, but neither had noticed, of course.

The partygoers had sent poor Ravis to interrupt their moment, and the small demon skittered to a stop by the end of the corridor, blubbering, "M-M-M..."

Both jumped, tensing at the interruption. Ivan turned his head in his direction, but kept his tight lipped smile to the wall. "What? Why are you sneaking around?"

"Um, I was not!" Ravis' eyes hopped from Matthew back to the other demon, looking more frightened than traumatized. "Y-Your hellhound is giving birth! I was sent up here for you to be with her!"

Matthew gasped, letting down the scarf he was using to cover his flushed face. "Cujo!"

"Oh, no. Oh, no."

Ravis eagerly backed away from the panicked pair, pressing against the closest wall to let them hurry pass him. He stared after their joined hands, and uncertainly trailed after them. Once downstairs, a loud voice bellowed, "Back! Get back. Give her space!"

Ludwig was crouched before Cujo's clumps of blankets beneath the staircase, holding his palms out to the gathered partygoers who were clumped together from the commotion. "You all need to leave the room. You are making her nervous, and something can easily go wrong with all the stress."

Ivan's feet loudly hit the floor, and he made sure to send everyone a look that made them want to leave the room. "You sound as if you have done this before."

The blond demon said, "I breed hellhounds, so you tell me."

Matthew asked, "Is there anything we can do for her?"

"Just...be patient. Your hellhound has to go through with this herself. We are here in case something goes wrong."

The 'dog' let out a high whine, her paws kicking at the bundles of cloth beneath her. Ludwig looked up to the trio hanging on the steps who were staring with scared eyes. "It will be all right. I do this all the time." After a moment of consideration, he added, "I believe it will be best for you three to wait in the other room. I will be right here in case something is needed."

It did not seem like they had a choice, but the situation was intense enough for Ivan to take orders from another lord under his own roof. He grabbed for Matthew's hand, towing him from the stairwell, away from Cujo's cries of pain. "We are going to have puppies soon."

Matthew managed a weak smile. "Yeah. I just hope she'll be all right."

Ravis had followed them into the throne room at Ludwig's dismissal, and looked up at Ivan in surprise as he wound his arms around Matthew, shielding him from the surrounding mass of visitors lingering around the doorway to watch the birth. "Stay in here," Ivan told his guests. "Panicking will make matters worse."

They, too, looked at him in shock from the docile tone. One of them dared to joke, "Some timing, right?" The speaker was promptly elbowed, and shown a cut throat motion at his loose tongue.

However, Ivan let out a light giggle, happening to agree. "It livens the gathering phenomenally."

Instead of responding coherently, they stared, vexed by his politeness. Matthew gawked right back at them with the same intensity of curiosity. Some demons have manners, but others have staring problems that they tend to not make an effort to fix. They were only distracted by Toris weaving between the attendees while clutching a platter, and paused to ask if its contents interested anybody. He spotted the pair, blinking several times before slowly approaching them.

"Would I interest you in some meats?"

Matthew immediately perked up, eyes on the plate. When Toris lowered his arms to display the small slabs and bits of food, he leaned his head back a little. "Oh, they're all raw."

Ivan turned to investigate the selection with a sniff. The other demon faltered, taking a step back. "Th-That is the way it is supposed to be."

"Thanks anyway."

Toris glanced to Ivan in confusion, lingering as a large hand flicked a piece of meat over before lifting it from the platter. Ivan dangled it in front of the Matthew's face. "You do not want?"

A wide-eyed look of horror told him with all means, "No." Matthew shook his head, and his arms that curved behind the demon's back slid away as he shied from the threatening meat. "No. No, I don't want that. You can eat it."

"I can, but are you sure you do not?" Ivan enticed with a broad smile, "Not even a little nibble?"

Toris started to slowly scoot away from them, and motioned with a jerk of his chin for Ravis to follow. Both were more than willing to slip away as Ivan shrugged, tilting his head back to drop the food in his mouth. The smallest one whispered, "It is so different now."

"I wonder how long it will last..."

Matthew shuddered, turning to the doorway. _That is beyond raunchy. He better wash his mouth out before I kiss him again._ He watched Ludwig reach an arm forward and reassuringly rub Cujo's flank, coaxing the next pup into the world. He shook his legs for idle movement, smiling how the hellhound bent to lick one of the wet bundles attached to her stomach.

One of the partygoers squealed, pointing a clawed finger at the new litter. "Oh, _oh,_ look! _Puppies!_ " The surrounding demons whispered excitedly, exchanging flashy smiles and crinkled eyes.

"Demon puppies," Matthew murmured. _This is_ exactly _what I wanted._


	41. Chapter 40

By the time Matthew was due to the surface, the seven puppies were able to walk, or at least pass as walking as they skittered and slid over the hard floors to reach him holding out his hands for them. He was more than happy to collapse on the ground, surrendering himself to the pile of wriggling rumps and flat, slobbery snouts. "You are all too cute! I'm going to miss you!"

Cujo had to get a part of the departure, ambling forward from her nest, and snuffling Matthew's face. He squealed and sat up, ruffling her ears as her pups bumbled around her and playfully nipped at her paws. "You, too!"

He would see the puppies again for a little bit when he returned, until the previous partygoers would arrive again to claim their interest on the hellhounds once they were old enough. Some gatherings had party favors such as noise makers, or candies. Ivan's had puppies, which were very promising to grow up to be excellent guards. They certainly helped tip the scales in his favor, and the other lords had accepted his request to revive his life and lands.

 _It was not_ just _because of the puppies..._ One of them galloped onto Matthew's lap to try to slobber over his face. _Okay, yes, it was because of the puppies._

The demonic siblings, even Natalia, had lingered by the doorway between the throne room and stairwell, watching him get happily mauled by gummy teeth and tiny paws. Both sisters were quiet, watching Ivan more so than the hellhounds. They could not keep their eyes from the settled hint of a smile on their brother's face. It broadened, revealing teeth as Matthew stood up, and bounded toward him.

"Are we going now?"

Ivan straightened against the doorway. "You are leaving your back pack here?"

"I'm coming back, aren't I?"

The demon was especially happy at that. Irunya stepped forward, holding her arms out for an embrace. "We will be waiting for you, Matvey." Natalia did not say anything harsh, especially when one of the puppies strayed to sniff around her feet.

"You won't be waiting long. I'm not even staying away for a week." Matthew furrowed his eyebrows, realizing how dreadful it will be when he has to say that to his father. He gently pulled away from the she-demon, politely smiling from the moisture pooling in her eyes.

"You take care, too, Vanya. Be careful of the angels."

Ivan claimed, "I have nothing more to fear from them." He tugged Matthew closer to him, and scooted toward the exit. "Until then."

They heard Natalia's most affectionate words on their way out, "You better not get hurt, dickwad."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

It was nearing noon when the pair popped out from the sewer, so when Ivan jogged onto the sidewalk with his luggage attached to his back, the small town's pedestrians stopped and dropped their jaws. The man simply smiled, and kept walking.

Matthew waved at them. "That's one way to turn heads." He patted Ivan's chest, "Are you going to let me down now?"

Without a reply, Ivan gripped his legs for a moment before letting him slip onto the sidewalk. He even laughed when Matthew playfully drummed on his back as if to belittle him. "Your father will be excited to see you again, yes?"

"Yep, so excited he's going to cry tears of sheer joy. You'll see." Matthew bounded down the front lawn, clearing the porch in one stride to grab the door knob. "Ready?"

Ivan stepped onto the deck more unwillingly. "We should do this as quickly as possible."

"Come on. It's kind of...sweet." Matthew shrugged and opened the door, glancing down the empty foyer. Stealthily, he crept to the wide doorway to the kitchen, peering pass the frame to see Francis' back to him. His father sat at the island counter, hunched over papers scattered over the granite surface. It was too easy to creep behind him, since his focus was on his pen scratching across the many sheets to pick up the light squawks of sneakers peeling from the tiled floor.

Just as Matthew was about to lay an unsettling hand on Francis' shoulder, Ivan asked, dumbfounded, "Matthew, what are you doing?"

Francis drew a sharp breath, flinging himself off of his stool. He had clamped a hand over his heart and stared at the intruders with frightened eyes. Matthew shot Ivan a disappointed look, asking, "Why'd you do that?"

His father demanded, "Why did you think of creeping on me?!" Without waiting for an answer, he sighed as he wrapped his arms around his son's shoulders. "Silly boy. I missed you. 'appy Birthday, _cher._ "

Matthew's eyes fluttered open from embracing his father, and gave a little jerk to look at his face. "It's my birthday? I could've swore it was still June." He gave Ivan a guilty glance, but the man only appeared vaguely bemused, and casually propped himself against the door frame. Turning back to Francis, he uneasily laughed, "They really don't have calendars in Hell."

The first sniffle was only the beginning. Francis let his hold droop, and used the back of his hand to wipe at a watery eye. " _Matthieu,_ your birthday was yesterday. You are a man now, and look!" He pinched his son's jaw, "You're growing a beard to prove it!"

"More like I forgot to pack a razor!"

"It looks nice! It _should_ look nice. Beards run in the family!" More intense hugging, and Francis tossed a wink to Ivan. "I am sure there are no qualms against it, is there?" Ivan took it as a good idea to join the merriness, so he pushed from the doorway to pull the both of them to his chest. The Bonnefoy's exclaimed in shock before rocking side to side with one another, full of delighted laughter. Francis murmured to himself, "At least one of my boys are all right."

Matthew lifted his head from leaning against Ivan. "Dad, what do you mean?"

The arms wound around them weakened with a little, "Uh oh."

Francis struggled with his words, his mouth gaped in lack of coherent speech. He clamped it shut, taking a shaky inhale before trying again. "Alfred has not been home ever since a few days after you left. He has not even stopped in once."

 _Dammit, Alfred._ "Papa," Matthew's shoulders slouched. "You know how he is."

" _Oui?_ I've tried texting and calling, but he never responded! When he gets back, I'm never going to let 'im leave again!"

" _Shh_ ," Matthew rubbed his father's shoulders and back. "It'll be all right. We can go out and look around for him."

Ivan grumbled, looking doubtful. Matthew put a finger to his lips as his father lightly dabbed at the moisture in his eyes. Taking to the flair, their guest put in, "Yes, the angels are quite the foul little ones. It would not be hard to find him."

Despite the threatening tears, Francis smiled and nodded before giving his son a kiss on the cheek. "Be careful, you two."

"As always, Papa."

As soon as the front door closed, Matthew bounded off the porch, clearing the yard in cutting strides. "I can't believe it," he seethed. "You ass!"

Ivan darted after him, the soles of his boots skidding on the rough sidewalk as he stopped in front of the young man's march. "What is that about?"

"Alfred," was the curt reply. Matthew turned on his heel to storm the walkways. The other man quickly followed so he would not lose him. "He just acts so damn stupid all the time, and I know he's not!"

Ivan latched onto his shirt sleeve so he would not be left behind. "Are you sure? What if he is actually stupid?"

Matthew let out a funny snort. "I ask myself that sometimes."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to try that motel Arthur's been camped at. If they're not there...well, let's get there first."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The motel was on the other side of town, small and blasé, as far as motels go. The pair scanned the numbers attached to the doors until they reached the one that supposedly was the right one. _Who knows who would open the door?_ Matthew thought all motels were at least slightly suspicious. It may have come from watching too many horror movies while Alfred cowered behind a pillow. He slammed the side of his fist against the door several times, and as loudly as he could.

There was a muffled voice from the other side, sounding more amused than angry, "What the fuck!" The lock turned and then the door opened a tiny bit. A bright blue eye blinked at the pair, and then the door flung all the way as Alfred held on arm out as the other clutched at the towel around his waist. "Bro! Come here and give me a hug!"

"Whoa, hey!" Matthew held his hands up and took a step back. "Don't hug me when you're not wearing any pants! Weird!"

"Sheesh, not my fault you came at a bad time. Close the door behind you."

Ivan did, and said, "Only I am allowed to do that."

"Ew!"

Matthew warned to both of them, "Hey, hush up!"

"Wow!" Alfred exclaimed, face puckering as he walked by them for the dresser. "You smell burnt, Mattie!"

Ivan put in, "I think he smells just fine."

"Yeah, that explains some things."

Matthew plopped on the foot of the king bed, still unmade despite the time of the day. Typical for Alfred, as his mind jumped to different things all the time, but not for the other man that wandered out of the restroom with a bath robe that looked like it was made from clouds.

"Alfred, we are going to need more-" Arthur had glanced to the bed, and promptly began to look horrified. He clenched his robe shut even more, and stumbled backwards into the bathroom again. "Why did you not say we had guests, idiot?!"

"They just came in here! Chill out!" Alfred pulled an article of cloth from the top dresser drawer and sent it into the bathroom. "And they want you to put clothes on!"

Matthew put in, "Both of you!"

"Both of us!" Alfred echoed, and hurried into the bathroom with pristinely folded clothes to close the door behind himself.

Ivan gave the blankets hanging off of the bed (like they tried to ensnare someone when they attempted to leave their comfort) a disgruntled look before settling against Matthew's side. "Alfredo seems to A-OK. I wonder what made your father so scared." When Matthew did not reply immediately, he mused aloud, "Maybe he thought that little angel had snatched him up, and neither of them would be seen again!"

Not paying him any true mind, Matthew said, "Oh, no..."

The bathroom door opened when Alfred exclaimed, "Really? No way! Hey, guys, you won't believe it. Arthur's been at this motel for _seventeen_ years!"

"Wow!" Matthew blinked in surprise, but Arthur worried about discarded clothes that did not make it to the wash basket. "Doesn't that get pricey?"

"No," was all the angel said.

Alfred swished a hand, getting their attention, "Apparently, way back then, he helped the owner of the place with family trouble, and now he gets permanent residence! How cool is that?!"

Matthew and Ivan glanced around the cold and uninviting space. The former murmured, "Um, yeah, really cool..."

"Way too short," Ivan said. "There is no room to stretch your wings."

Arthur grumbled as he finished picking up the loose odds and ends around the room, and his knees popped. "I suppose that is something we can agree on."

Alfred finished patting his hair as dry as he would get with it, and flung his towel across the room. It made it to the basket, but hung halfway out. Arthur angrily swooped down and flipped it into the pile. "So, like, what's up? You guys need something, or just visiting?"

"Uh, yeah," Matthew gave his head a little shake from his brother's obliviousness. "Do you plan on coming home anytime soon or not?"

"Home?"

"Home! You know, with Dad? He won't stop crying because you didn't even take two seconds out of your day to send him a text that you're busy or on your way."

"Oh, that..."

"'Oh?'"

"Yeah, _oh._ We were...um..."

Arthur settled in one of the dining chairs and put in, "We were traveling. Alfred, I thought I told you to make sure your father knew that."

"I-I could have swore we did!"

"Did you make sure you typed _and_ send the message?"

Alfred pursed his lips. "Uh...maybe?" He gave himself a little shake. "Aw, man, I was so excited!"

Ivan asked, "Excited about what?"

Alfred's legs danced on the carpet. "Traveling, just like Artie said. Like, all over the States. Even to Europe for a few days! We didn't even need plane tickets either! Angels just go _whoosh!_ "

Arthur smiled behind a fist, but Matthew was not as enamored, "Cool, but what about Dad? We both been gone since graduation without a single 'What's up?' text. Not to mention I just missed my birthday, and yours is in like, two days. So, are you going to stop by, or what?"

"Well, we just got back last night, and I'm still _super_ tired..."

Matthew steadily glared at his brother.

Alfred threw his head back and groaned. "All right, fine, I'll come with..."

"Let's go," Matthew prompted, leaping off the bed as Ivan followed suit with a victorious snicker. "Dad has waited long enough."

Arthur called as they walked out the door, "Watch out for cars!"

The door closed loudly behind them, and Matthew gave his brother a weird look from the goofy smile that look permanent residence on his face. "So...you guys obviously talked about The Feelings, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, we talked _a lot_ about feelings."

Ivan did his best to look confused from behind the brothers as Matthew lightly shoved his brother. "Well? Come on, where is the juicy details?"

"What's there to say? He came back, we talked, things were awkward, we were embarrassed, and then we hugged."

"What did you two talked about?"

Alfred's ears were only getting more red as he kept his eyes away from Matthew's grin. "Stuff, man! He like...well, there was something _sweet_ that happened to stick with me."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Don't start shit. He said- stop the presses folks- he said, 'I rather love you in your life now for a day, rather than risk loving someone else for a century.' So...yeah. Hopefully that's the reason he came back and decided to stay. Yay!" A moment of awkward silence hung between the trio. He scratched the back of his head as Ivan let out a content hum. "Are you going to say anything, bro?"

" _Arthur_ said that? Wow, he's a sap, too! You're both saps!"

"Shut up, Mattie!"

Ivan put in, "Why are you pulling Alfredo's leg, Matthew? Your family is full of saps, and you are in it, too."

Suddenly Matthew was no longer smiles. "Hey, hush up about that..."

Alfred belted to the sky, "You're a sap, too! Mattie's a sap!"

"Shut up!" Matthew warned.

Loud enough for the whole town to hear, Alfred performed a little hop before running ahead and hollering, "My brother is a sap!"

Matthew sprinted after him with murderous intent. "You ass!"

* * *

 _Blehps:_

Francis struggled with his words, his mouth gaped in lack of coherent speech. He clamped it shut, taking a shaky inhale before trying again. "Alfred had gone out for a hunting trip, and has not been home in a few days."


	42. Put Strippers WITH Cannons In the Cake!

As soon as Alfred stepped into the kitchen, Francis leaped out of his chair with a dramatic cry of joy, and threw himself at him. "My baby boy! You found 'im!" He proceeded to plant kisses all over Alfred's face.

"Great. Yeah, Dad. Uh-huh. You can stop anytime."

Francis pulled away, taking his son's cheeks between his hands. "What were you thinking, worrying me like that? I thought you were taken away by angels!"

"Willingly!" Alfred protested.

"Some goodbye! You tell those angels that I said to take good care of you! I could 'ear your stomach growling before you walked in the door!"

"Ugh, yes, Dad."

Ivan quickly glanced away when Francis' scowl shifted to him as he released Alfred. "I make certain Matthew is well fed when he is with me."

" _Bien_. You are in the clear...for now."

"Oh, good."

Francis sighed, quickly swiping at his watery eyes. "Are you staying long, _Matthieu?_ "

"Um...at least until after Alfred's birthday."

Alfred gasped excitedly. "We should have a party!"

Ivan echoed, "Birthday...party?"

Their father put his hands on his hips. "You expect me to buy a cake?"

"Can you make one?" Alfred kept bouncing on his toes. "We can get the batter that has confetti in it, and sprinkles! Ooh, we can't forget the ice cream!"

Ivan glanced to Matthew, who watched his brother flap his hands in front of his face when Francis suggested they get an ice cream cake instead- the best of both worlds. "Do you not find birthday parties exciting?"

"Huh? Oh, very exciting," the remark was almost sarcastic. "Every year, our birthdays get combined on Alfred's birthday, and he's the one that makes most of the decisions. I guess that's the way it's supposed to be. We were supposed to be born on the same day, after all."

The man nudged Matthew. "Then say something."

"N-no, it's all right. Ice cream cake sounds good. I like ice cream cake."

"Is this really about cake made out of ice cream?" Ivan huffed, and grabbed Matthew's arm, and raised it above his head, calling out, "Matthew has something to say!"

"Huh?! No, I don't!"

Francis tipped his head. "What is it, _cher?_ "

Alfred piped up, "We need a third opinion on what kind of chips to get!"

"W-well, I really like the original ones. We can buy dip for it." Matthew nodded more confidently as his father scribbled the idea on a note pad hanging from the fridge. "I would also like some coke to drink."

His brother raised his arms in the air. "Dude, I love you!"

"Don't make it weird."

Ivan gleefully suggested, "We should drink vodka, too, yes?"

Francis gave him a disgruntled look. "Per'aps for their twenty first birthday."

"Is a twenty first birthday special?"

A wink, "Oh, _very_ special."

The other man only grew more confused at his vagueness.

"Yo!" Alfred had a brilliant idea, "We should get confetti cannons! And strippers to come out of the cake! Strippers with confetti cannons!"

Matthew quietly scorned, "I don't think the cake will be big enough for that."

" _Mon Dieu!_ " Francis put a hand over his forehead. "Where did that come from?!"

Ivan announced, "I have no idea what any of those are."

Their father continued, "Young man, this is a family and friend's event. If you want to go wild, this 'ouse is not the place to do it!"

"Can we still get the cannons though?"

After a moment of internal debate, Francis said, "I will add it to the list."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

It was a poor choice on Francis' part to buy his son a confetti cannon, let alone more than one. On the day of Alfred's birthday, several days after Matthew was (prematurely) born, he reasoned, "They came in packs of three. I did not 'ave a different option."

Of course, the brothers brought along their 'friends' for the special occasion, and Arthur could not help but stare at the word 'Cannon' on the canisters on the counter, wondering if he should be afraid. Ivan was fighting himself about eating more chips. They were way salty for what he bargained for, but he could not stop reaching for the bag like he was under some salt spell.

With any slightly exciting occurrence, Francis had his camera out and snapping pictures of the brilliant rainbow decorated cake, and his boys. Alfred snatched his brother in a spine bending embrace, laughing as Matthew slumped to the side, as if he passed out. Their father took more photos than necessary over that.

Alfred came up with a genius idea of, "Let's take a selfie!"

" _Oui!_ Everyone, get over here!"

Ivan and Arthur bumbled over to the others, accidently bumping into one another and looking horrified over the contact. The disguised angel wedged himself between the two brothers, away from the demon, who took his spot on the end beside Matthew. Francis knelt part way so he would not block anybody's faces, and pointed the camera to face the group.

"All right, _tout le monde,_ say 'Cheese!'"

Ivan exclaimed, "The cheese again?" Francis took the photo, causing him to flinch from the flash. "Ah!"

"Dad!" Matthew cried out, "The flash hurts his eyes!"

"Oh, it does?" Francis tipped the device over, looking for a button that would turn the light off. "How do I...?"

Alfred grabbed the camera from his hands, pressing a single tab, and plopped it back in his palm.

"Here we go again," their father announced, holding the camera out once more. "This time without flash!"

Rubbing his eye, Ivan reached an arm from his side to hook around Matthew's waist, but overestimated his grab. Arthur yelped when a hand clamped on his rear as the device clicked, preserving all their various reactions to the commotion.

Matthew asked, "What happened?"

Arthur stepped away from his brother, the color on his face deepening to an angry red. "What was that about?"

Francis gave the camera an agitated shake, not understanding its mechanics as Alfred raised his eyebrows at the flustered insult. "What was what about?"

Arthur put a hand to his mouth, poorly hiding a smile. "You know what I am talking about."

"No, I really don't."

Ivan remained silent, folding his hands behind his back as he reveled in the minor chaos around him.

"Something 'appened to the camera!" Francis wagged the device again. "It is all discolored!"

Again, Alfred took it from his father. "It's just a filter."

"I do not know what any of that is!"

"Chill out, old man. I'll fix it."

" _Quoi?!_ Old man?!"

Matthew took the opportunity to lean over the counter and drag a finger through the cake's side, stealing icing as he always done previous years when nobody was looking. _Mmm, buttercream._ He took another drag, and Arthur crossed his arms, condoning his actions with a scowl. "Are we going to cut the cake? Preferably before it melts?"

His brother nearly shouted, "Cake!"

"Wait!" Francis spun in place, looking around the kitchen. "We need candles!"

Matthew shook a box that was resting on the counter. "Right here!"

"Ah, of course!" Their father peeled open the package, stabbing nineteen (one for luck) candles into the small, round cake. "I need the lighter."

Ivan and Arthur watched the strange ritual with bewildered expressions. Once the lighter was brought out, the former widened his eyes, crying out, "Why are you setting the cake on fire?!"

The others stared at him. Matthew said, "Hey, remember what we talked about? Don't freak out."

"Do not freak out. Do not freak out."

Francis swished a hand at his distracted sons as he flicked off the lights. "Blow out the candles before they melt onto the cake!" He fumbled with the camera, pointing it at Matthew and Alfred leaning toward the candles, smiles illuminated by the flames. "Ready? 'appy Birthday!"

"Dad, you don't have to sing."

 _Yes, please don't sing,_ Matthew pleaded with a quiet look.

Their father put a hand over his chest. "You 'urt my heart! You used to love it when I sang the Birthday Song to you!"

Ivan grumbled, "Birthday Song? What in the world is going on?"

Arthur admitted, "I ask myself that too much."

An obnoxious sound of annoyance from Alfred prompted everyone to turn to the cake. The twins took big breaths, their cheeks puffing out, all the while Francis' finger danced on the capture button. The camera clicked, capturing the important moment of the fire snapping to a thin trail of smoke. The brothers straightened, grinning brightly at one another.

"Yay!" Francis clapped, excited as his boys were. Ivan and Arthur could only manage lost, half smiles. The twins plucked the candles from their cake, leaving welts in the icing, and popped the ends covered in frosting in their mouths. "Watch out," their father warned, wielding a large, frightening kitchen knife, "I 'ave to cut the cake."

Alfred said, "I want a big piece!"

"As always," Francis chuckled fondly. "Get me a plate."

Ivan asked, "You do this on everyday you are birthed?"

"It comes around once a year, _cher_."

He was still confused. Matthew drew up to him with a small plate of ice cream cake, smiling expectantly. "Is that for me?"

"Yep! With a fork, Ivan," Matthew punctuated when he went to pinch the bright frosting between his fingers.

Francis finally decided to put the camera down to take a piece of cake for himself, settling beside Alfred who was already scraping his plate for melted ice cream. Arthur went to sit beside the Birthday Man, but stopped, frowning at their father's back. He went for the second best seat, the stool across Alfred. The others plunked on the barstools behind the counter.

"Hey, Dad, I'm getting another piece!"

"It is there for a reason."

"Eugh!" Ivan swiped at his mouth. "It is cold!"

Arthur turned from staring at Alfred cracking a blue frosting colored smile, to the disguised demon with icing covering his chin. He grinned, too, from Matthew fretting at the mess with a napkin. At the feeling of being watched, Ivan glanced in Arthur's direction, taken back rather than nervous at the angel's guilty expression. Neither said anything, but Ivan offered a cheeky, icing-infested grin, and Arthur dropped his focus to his dessert.

"And he went, ' _Whoosh!'_ " Alfred threw his hand out to the side, staring at it wide eyed. "Over the car, twenty feet in the air, did at least five barrel rolls mid-air before smacking the ground!"

" _Mon Dieu,_ " Francis shook his head, politely laughing at his son's gaming escapade. Even at the hilarious tale, and the blissful smile on his face, his eyes pooled with tears. He tried his best to not let them spill, but Matthew's light giggles at the tale made him weak. Birthday parties were supposed to be fun and happy, after all.

"Hey, I don't mean to be all spoiled and stuff," Alfred changed the subject, "but are we going to get presents?"

"You are eighteen years old now. Do you think I am still going to buy you presents?"

Alfred stared at his father, dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to stammer out an awkward apology, but Francis held a hand up.

" _Of course_ I bought the both of you presents. I will not stop getting you presents! Ever!"

Alfred and Matthew exchanged hyped smiles. The other two looked at each other with confused frowns as Francis dug around in a cabinet above the refrigerator, where he kept his alcohol. Fortunately (or unfortunately, whoever is asking), they two did not coincide, and he brought out two bags, one per son.

His youngest drew a loud gasp, clapping his hands together like he won the lottery. Matthew could not help but bounce in his seat, but did not make any strange noises. His brother immediately ripped the tissue paper out of his bag, flinging it all over the room. He burrowed his hands into its contents to pulled out a thin DVD case. "Oh, my god!" He squealed, shaking the container. "Look, Artie! It's the latest _Fast and Furious_ movie! We got some late night watching to do!"

Arthur was not certain to be excited about that.

Matthew softly exclaimed as he produced a stuffed polar bear from his bag. "Oh, no. It's too cute."

Francis held his hands out. "Come on. Say it. Who is an awesome dad?"

"Dad's the awesome dad!" Alfred scrambled out of his seat. "Booty bump!" He raised his arms above his head to knock his hip into his father's, causing Francis to cry out in delighted surprise. Matthew leaned over the counter to playfully slap one of his hands.

Finally, Ivan nodded in understanding. "I see. Parties are very exciting things." He jumped, almost falling out of his seat when Arthur fiddled with one of the cannons too much, and the top exploded, releasing a shower of shiny confetti over the trio's heads.

"You will need to excuse me. I had no intention on that happening-" His apology was ignored as the brothers grabbed the other ones, whooping and twisting the bottoms. Francis was going to scold them for making a mess in the house, but was too busy laughing as streamers nested in his hair.

~.~

~GNIOB~

~.~

"I know you love me. You tell me all the time! I got to go!"

"Not without a kiss from your Papa!"

"Dad!"

Matthew could hear his brother groaning from the top of the stairs. Their father left a loud, puckering smooch on Alfred's cheek. " _Voilà!_ That is not so bad, is it?"

As the older twin bustled down the steps, Alfred said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

"Why are you in such a rush to leave me?" Francis cupped his hands over his face. "What 'ave I done wrong?"

Alfred rolled his eyes, legs dancing in place as if he could not keep still. "Nothing, I just got to get going! I'm going to be doing hero, helping people stuff with an angel!"

"And you do not want to be late, _oui,_ I understand, but do not forget, you are my son, first!"

"Of course, Dad. I'm coming back, so don't have an aneurism." Alfred spun around, curtly nodding to his brother. "You, too, Mattie! Don't fall into any lava pits!"

"Um, okay. Bye?" _What, no hugs for me?_ Matthew watched his twin throw open the front door, jumping over the porch steps in an excited whoop. Arthur was already waiting outside, and was towed across the front yard before stopping to squish one another's faces together. Both him and their father jumped when wings exploded from the angel's back, curving forward and around Alfred, and they vanished in a flurry of feathers and light. _Oh, sure. Let the neighbors look out their windows at the wrong time..._

"I do not think I will get used to that," Francis wheezed.

Matthew lunged to shut the door, and spun around to face his father with an alarmed expression. "Papa, are you all right?"

"Need to sit."

"Okay, the kitchen chairs are right there."

" _Oui,_ just pass the demon eating all my chips."

Ivan dissented, "The bag says I cannot have only one!"

Francis plopped in the adjacent stool and stuck a hand to his forehead. "Can you get me a glass of water, _Matthieu?_ "

"Of course, Papa."

His father glanced in the direction of the continuous munching. "Are you staying long?"

After a last gulp, Ivan winced from a chip stabbing his throat. "I do not wish to be away from my family and lands for more than necessary."

"Ah, you have a family?"

"Everybody has a family."

Matthew set a cup of water in front of his father, and sat at the opposite side of the island counter. "Maybe we should stay a little bit..." he trailed off, giving Francis a sad look.

" _Non,_ do not look at me like that! I will not ever want you to leave!"

Ivan stared at the chips for a moment before giving the bag a small angry push away from himself.

Noticing the abuse to the poor snacks, Matthew lightly sighed, "I don't know, Papa. I have a place in Hell now." Francis sniffled, almost weeping into his drink. _Yikes, poor choice of words._ "Um...y-you know...with Ivan."

"I get it," his father said. "You know, this gives me plenty of ideas for a story I 'ave been thinking about, although I 'ave so many others! I will be busy in your absence, so do not worry about me."

Matthew tittered, "I can't help it!"

"Ah, neither can I, _cher_!"

"We go now?" Both turned to Ivan slowly reaching for the bag of chips once more. He yanked his hand back, as if he were scolding himself, and admitted, "I miss my puppies."

"You 'ave puppies?!" At first Francis was delighted, then his expression slumped to one of confusion. "They 'ave puppies?"

"Hellhounds," Matthew said. "They are one of the cutest and ugliest things I ever saw. All eight of them."

"Plus Cujo."

Matthew shyly smiled from Ivan's staring. "Yeah, plus the mommy."

His father raised his eyebrows. "You named...a female hellhound...Cujo?"

"It was Matthew's idea!" Ivan announced, proud. "The name has a nice sound to it, yes?"

Knowing the true origin of the name, Francis let out an uneasy laugh. " _Oui,_ it is...charming."

Ivan rose to his feet, repeating, "We go now?"

"Yep! Just let me grab a few more outfits, 'cause we're going to be there for a while." Matthew tapped his own stubbly cheek, "Oh, and a razor."

"I would not mind if you 'forgot' one again."

Matthew grinned his way out of the kitchen. Francis gave Ivan a suspicious look when he kept staring at the doorway after his son was upstairs. When he finally turned his head, first glancing to the bag of chips, then to the other man, he innocently asked, "Is something wrong?"

Francis did not respond, opting to loudly sip on his water, and still giving him the stink eyes over his glass. Ivan had almost forgotten how battle hungry this family was.

"It's quiet," Matthew noted when he reentered the kitchen with a spare back bag.

Ivan pushed his stool back. "Now?"

"Wait a minute. I have to hug my dad," Matthew said with a laugh. Francis twisted on his seat to embrace him.

"Be careful, _Matthieu._ "

"You, too. You'll be all right?"

"I will be all right and 'appy as long as you are. Go, do not make your puppies wait any longer."

"Okay, Papa. Thank you."

Ivan threw his arms around his son when he went for the front door. "Bye bye, Mister Francis!" He taunted, grunting as his demonic aspects sprouted, and were gone in a sudden sweep of darkness. Francis was left alone on the kitchen stool, eyes wide and unfocused. Very slowly, he reached out, groping the air where they were a moment ago, but did not feel anything. He settled back in his seat, staring distantly at the door frame.

"If you are 'appy with your demon puppies, and eternal fires, then I am, too."


	43. Epilogue

_Author's Note- Oh, by the way, this is the last chapter._

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

"I assume you are expecting visitors soon, Mister Bonnefoy?"

A wistful smile reached the man's stubbly face. He snapped out of his distant gaze from the window, to the caretaker ambling around his house. "Is it because I am dressed nicely?"

His company tittered, "It could have something to do with you wanting six cups of tea brewed."

Francis closed the notebook on his lap, and tugged on the wheels of his wheelchair to face the woman. "You remembered yourself!"

She easily replied, "I know you would not let me forget." She noticed the book being protectively cherished in his lap. "Are you still working on that demon story? How long has it been? Eight months?"

"These things take time!"

The caretaker giggled, setting the tea plates around the coffee table. A long whistle sounded from the kitchen, causing her to look up in alarm. "Oh, that must be the water boiling."

"Be careful with the kettle!" Francis called as she hurried out of the living room. "It is an antique!" He said aloud, "Bought from my sons' sixteenth Christmas."

He glanced to the window again, grayed eyebrows raising as a bright flash flickered between the trees across the street. He smiled, relaxing against his chair. Within moments, the front door opened, and the intruder leaped into view with his hands spread out. "Surprise!"

"It is no surprise to see you 'appy, Alfred."

"Aw, shucks, Pops, it's good to see you, too!" The man hopped to his father before bending awkwardly to hug him. "How's the hip?"

"Ah, it 'as been better." Francis looked behind his son. "Where is that angel of yours?"

"Right here," another voice barked from the hall, and the door closed with a loud clasp. Arthur entered the living room with a cloth bag draped in his hand, nodding a greeting to the old man. "Hello, Francis."

" _Aïe!_ " Francis held an arm over his face, shielding himself from the newcomer. "It is an evil eyebrow monster that came to bring about my demise!"

"Quiet, you," Arthur warned. "Do you want your teas or not?"

The old man reached out. "Of course! India this time?"

"No, Morocco."

"Ah," Francis took a deep inhale from the small sacks inside the bag. "Mint is too underrated."

Alfred glanced around. "Where's Mattie at?"

"Not 'ere, yet, I am afraid. Give them time. It is a longer journey than you take." Francis swished a hand to the couch. "Sit, sit! The Missus is boiling water as we speak."

The duo settled in the worn cushions, and Arthur heavily sighed to get off his feet. "Longer journey, but that does not mean it is harder."

"Welcome to the 'Over the Hill' club," the old man chuckled, earning a deserved scowl. Nowhere nearly white as him, Arthur had the beginnings of old age, told by the crinkles around his vibrant eyes, and loose strands of gray hair sticking from his blond mop. Alfred slung an arm over his shoulders, acting as he was young as ever from angelic presence. "So, Morocco, _oui?_ Is the water relief going well?"

"Yeah!" Alfred answered. "It's great! You know they have this thing now that you can stick in the ocean, and turn on the faucet, and boom, fresh water right then and there."

Suddenly, hands gripped his shoulders. "You think that's cool? Go and see the castle they made entirely out of ice in Northern Canada. The Prime Minister is living in it with her ten cats."

Francis slightly jumped at the snappy summoning of his other son and his partner.

Alfred rolled his eyes at his brother hissing in his ear and lazily batted at the necklace of blood dangling from his neck. "Real cool, man. I don't see an ice castle saving people's lives."

"You'll see!" Matthew lightly protested, and straightened when Ivan's loving hand rested on his shoulder. "With the ever expanding population, these ice buildings help people thrive in the Artic and Antarctic winds!"

"Woo, party with the polar bears and penguins! Well...what's left of them, anyway."

" _Matthieu!_ " Francis held his arms out. "Come 'ere and give Papa an 'ug."

"Hugs!" Ivan exclaimed, rushing over to get his back pats as well.

The caretaker entered the quaint living room with a tray of steaming cups, and gawked at the company. "Oh, you must be Mr. Bonnefoy's grandchildren!"

Alfred giggled, and his brother purposely stepped on his foot as he went for the recliner. Arthur smacked at the hand that was giving Matthew a rude gesture as Francis set his notebook on the coffee table and reached for his cup. " _Oui,_ my grandsons, and their 'usbands. They are a rowdy bunch."

"Mostly because of Alfred."

"Whoa, Mattie, I thought you were my bro! What's up with that?"

Arthur ignored the squabbles he was in the middle of and dunked a tea bag in his cup. "How is your current story running along?"

" _Bien!_ Ah, I mean, very well. That is nice of you to ask," Francis said almost suspiciously. Arthur narrowed his eyes, too, before tipping his mug back.

Ivan asked, "That is the one where everything, as they say, goes to Hell, yes?" The caretaker offered a cup, and he gleefully received, carefully lowering it onto his lap. Francis nodded, glancing up a few times from stirring his drink to his sons.

"Jeez, old man," Alfred bounced in his seat when the lady approached with his own cup. "How many more stories you got in you?"

"As many as I want!" Their father playfully shot back. "I need at least two more before my award shelf is filled!"

"Don't tell me this one is as creepy as the last one!"

Francis glanced around his family, and his aged cheeks rose from a blissful smile. " _Non,_ this one will end with a happier note."

* * *

 _A.N.- The End. LOL. It is interesting to witness how your own story shifts and changes from its original piece. In the beginning, this was supposed to be like, ten chapters max, kind of a 'get in, get out' situation with the demons, and little to no relationship development at all. Then, I was thinking BLOOD AND DEATH AND OH, THE HORROR, because angels and demons oh my, but nah. I wound up with something in between. Hopefully, it's better that way._

 _And yes, this giant took me eight months to write, plus the weeks I used to refine and redo it. Some stories take_ years _to write, while a lot of lucky others around here take only a few weeks, but between work and school...don't_ _write while distracted, kids._

 _As of March 2018 I can't believe I'm still writing for this fandom but these ideas won't leave me alone, so I'm in the draft progress of writing a companion piece of this story, following Alfred's POV. If something like that sounds like your cup of tea or coffee, then hopefully I'll get it out within the next few months._

 _November 2018- Yep. Companion piece is done. Gotta edit it and then match up the two stories and clean up this one AGAIN because the government won't stop me. Then...I might just upload it. Dun dun dun._


End file.
